The Road Less Traveled
by RileyAngel
Summary: The easy choice would have been to attend Ohio State, live in the dorms, and go home every few weeks, laundry in hand. Rachel and Noah opted for college in New York, leaving life as they knew it behind, and taking the first tentative steps toward fulfilling their dreams.
1. Chapter 1

**The Road Less Traveled**. The easy choice would have been to attend Ohio State, live in the dorms, and go home every few weeks, laundry in hand. Rachel and Noah opted for college in New York, leaving life as they knew it behind, and taking the first tentative steps toward fulfilling their dreams.

Thanks once again to Ryan Murphy, who owns "Glee" and the characters that inhabit that space in the television universe. This story and any new characters are solely mine. Any similarities to people in the real world are coincidental and unintentional; if I accidentally selected "real" names, I apologize and assure that no harm is intended.

Our saga begins a few months after "**Why Is this Night Different?**" left off. Although it's not essential to have the read the previous story, doing so might help clarify some plot points. (Speaking as the author, I would recommend it ;-)). As the story allows, I will attempt to share some aspects of Jewish culture that are otherwise ignored (or trivialized) on the show.

* * *

Chapter 1

Rachel Berry woke up on the 4th of July courtesy of her alarm clock, which she had forgotten to un-set the night before. The luxury of sleeping in late during the summer had been replaced by rising early for her first "real" job, manning the receptionist desk at the dance studio where she had taken lessons for most of her life. As she rolled over to stop the alarm, she felt an arm reach over her and basically beat her to the punch.

"Go back to sleep, Noah," she said, yawning. "It's too early to get up." He lowered his arm and wrapped it around her waist, drawing her close. "OK, Baby, let's jus' get comfortable," he sleepily replied, and she happily complied, snuggling into him. Her fathers were currently in Cincinnati, visiting her Dad, LeRoy's parents. Rachel, now a member of the workforce, had sent her love and stayed home, providing an opportunity for her boyfriend, Noah Puckerman, to spend the night. Although her parents were cognizant of their relationship, his sleeping over when they were home would have been taboo.

Since school had ended, the only remaining vestige of "Puck" was that his friends still (and probably always would) called him by that. Gone was the belligerence, contempt, the majority the cockiness (well, he _was_ a stud, just ask his girl), and the Mohawk. In his place stood Noah, the young man that Rachel saw when no one else (including Noah) was able to get past "Puck".

As Rachel relaxed into his arms, she felt his response to her close proximity. "Noah," she coquettishly said, "you're feeling feisty this morning." "Where you're concerned, always," he teased. "How 'bout a little 'afternoon delight'?" he slyly inquired. Rachel laughingly reminded him, "Noah, it's 7:00 in the morning, how could that be considered afternoon?" "It's gotta be afternoon _somewhere_," he teased. "Well," she giggled, "since you put it _that_ way…"

By 9:30, Noah and Rachel had showered and dressed and were eating breakfast. Rachel mentioned, "Noah, I told Santana that I'd bring a fruit salad and bake some cookies for her barbeque today." "Sounds good to me. Your cookies are awesome!" he complimented. "Thank you, Noah," she pleasantly replied. "While I'm baking, _you're_ making the fruit salad," she advised. Puck rolled his eyes; he would have rather parked himself in front of the TV and watched a baseball game, but he knew that resistance was futile where Rachel was concerned. "OK, tell me what to do," he conceded.

Rachel laundry-listed the fruit to include with the approximate quantities, and while he was preoccupied, she began mixing her ingredients together. Rachel loved to bake, even though she wasn't a big sweet eater, herself. She had decided to make oatmeal cookies today, replacing the raisins with dried cherries, since chocolate chip cookies might not fare too well in the heat.

As she was in process of removing the first batch from the baking pan to cool, she felt one arm snake around her waist and another reach around her to steal a cookie. "Noah!" she admonished, "those are for the party." "C'mon, they'll never miss one," he rationalized. Before she had a chance to react, he kissed her on the back of the neck, grabbed a cookie, and took a large bite.

"Wow, Rach, these are really good!" he complimented. "Here, try some." He broke off a small, bite-sized piece and fed it to her. She chewed it thoughtfully. "You're right; very good," she commented, pleased with herself. Noah had completed the first cookie and had extricated a second one. He broke it in half and offered some to her, which she politely declined. "Rachel," he teased, "open up, here comes the choo-choo." Although she found his silliness endearing, she was not about to consume her weight in cookies (or allow him to do the same). "Noah," she exasperatedly warned, "please stop schtupping me with cookies. Enough is enough!' Noah grinned; he loved it when Rachel used Yiddish expressions, and more so when they had a sexual connotation. "As long as I can still schtupp you in the bedroom, then I'm good," he conceded. "_That_ you may do," Rachel affirmed, smiling seductively.

Somehow, they managed to complete their tasks by noon. The fruit salad was in the refrigerator, and the cookies were cooling off, ready to be packed. They sat down in the family room to rest, Noah's arm encircling Rachel's small frame, pressing her against his side. Rachel looked up at Noah and smiled. "Just think, Noah, in six weeks we'll be in New York." "Yeah, I know," he concurred, "it's pretty friggin' amazing."

"Kurt and I need to decide about furniture pretty quickly," she said. "Guess I'm lucky," he interjected. "All I need is a bed. The place is all furnished, down to the dishes and pots 'n pans," he explained. "I'll have my own bedroom, and share the common areas with the other three guys," he continued. "Cantor Rosen, he's Cantor Mike's friend, told me that we have to keep Kosher and make sure the place is clean. They have kids, so no loud parties or a lot 'a strange women." Rachel looked at Noah curiously at his last remark, raising one eyebrow. "Baby, you don't need to worry," he reassured her. "I can only handle one strange woman in my life, and that's you." He smirked and began tickling her.

Rachel struggled a bit, and through her laughter said, "Please, Noah, stop. I'm not feeling that well right now." Noah immediately ceased and apologized, "Sorry, Rach. What's wrong?" She averted her eyes and quietly said "Cramps." "Oh…well…" he hesitated; like most boys (and men) a woman's menstrual cycle is rarely a comfortable topic for discussion. "Are you sure you want to go, Rach?" he asked concernedly. "Yes; Santana would feel hurt if we don't come," she replied. "After all, this is one of the last times we'll all probably be together until Thanksgiving."

Noah felt mystified by Rachel's and Santana Lopez's new-found amity. Apparently, Rachel standing up to her in Macy's had garnered Santana's respect, and she apologized formally shortly after Easter break. The two had become fast friends, along with Quinn Fabray, of all people. He was amazed that Rachel's two primary tormentors throughout high school were rapidly becoming her closest girlfriends, surpassed only by Tina and Kurt (who was really more of a girlfriend, after all).

Noah tried to soothe her as best he could, rubbing her back gently as she rested her head on his shoulder. They sat quietly watching TV until it was time to get ready to go. Rachel packed up the now cooled cookies, and they both went upstairs to tidy up and dress. It didn't take Noah very long to put on a clean pair of shorts and a Hawaiian print camp shirt, and he returned downstairs to watch a baseball game until Rachel was ready. She entered the room about 20 minutes later, and, in his opinion, the time was well-spent. Rachel had pulled her hair into a braid down her back, and she wore a simple red sun dress with white espadrille wedge sandals and a white crocheted shrug. "You look beautiful, Rachel," he said admiringly, and kissed her; "Thank you, Noah," she replied modestly. Carrying their contributions to the dinner, they exited the house, Rachel locking the door behind them.

* * *

**Author's Note**: "Schtupp" is a Yiddish word that literally means "stuff". It is most often used as a euphemism for sexual intercourse; hence, the name of Madeline Kahn's character in "Blazing Saddles", Lili Von Schtupp.


	2. Chapter 2

Chapter 2

Noah and Rachel arrived at Santana's house within 15 minutes. Noah helped Rachel down from the truck and together they carried the fruit and baked goods into the backyard, where the party was apparently in full swing. "Thanks, Rachel, this looks great!" Santana exclaimed as she took the fruit salad from Noah and Rachel put the cookies on the table. "You'll have to thank Noah for the fruit salad, Santana; he made that." Rachel beamed at Noah, and he grinned at her in response. "Well, Puckerman, I'm impressed," Santana stated. "Is it spiked?" He laughed and replied, "No, Satan, only fruit. Keepin' it PG-13 today." "Damn!" Santana muttered under her breath.

Noah and Rachel walked over to the deck where their friends had congregated. There were Tina Cohen-Chang and Mike Chang, Quinn Fabray and Artie Abrams, Brittany Pierce, Mercedes Jones, Kurt Hummel and Blaine Anderson, and Finn Hudson with his girl du jour, a vacuous blonde named Suzanne who had graduated from Carmel. Finn had apparently discovered that he enjoyed being the "smart one" in the relationship, and Suzanne seemed pleasant enough, if a little uncomfortable as the only relative stranger in the obviously close-knit group.

Mercedes hadn't seen Noah since graduation and was shocked to see his signature Mohawk gone and new hair growth beginning to cover his previously-shaved head. "Puck, what happened to the 'hawk'?" she asked, shocked by the change. Noah ran his hand over his head, as if he was still getting used to the feeling, and with a slight touch of remorse, he replied, "Goin' off to college and all, it was time…" His voice trailed off, and she complimented, "Well, I like it, Puck." "Thanks, 'Cedes," he acknowledged. He flashed a grin at Mercedes, then looked at Rachel and smiled tenderly as their eyes met.

Noah seated himself in a nearby chaise lounge and gently pulled Rachel down to sit between his legs, and then wrapped his arms around her. They were quietly content, which seemed odd to the others, who were used to Rachel's over-the-top personality and "Puck's" more vocal "bad-assedness". "Rachel, are you all right?" Kurt inquired. "Yeah, fine, Kurt, thanks; just a little tired," Rachel explained. "Say, Rachel, would you mind coming in the house with me?" Tina inquired. "Of course not, Tina," she acquiesced. "Excuse me for a minute, Noah." "Sure, Baby," he replied and unfolded his arms, enabling Rachel to stand up. He rubbed her leg gently as she began to move away.

Rachel and Tina walked to the house, Noah following them with his eyes. As soon as they closed the patio door, Tina asked "Rachel, what's wrong? Are you OK?" "Yes, Tina, I'm fine," Rachel confirmed, smiling wanly. "I'm just a little tired, that's all." "O-M-G…Rachel, are you pregnant?" Tina hurriedly asked. Rachel laughed. "Quite the contrary, Tina; if you must know, I have menstrual cramps." Tina joined her laughter. "It's just, like, Puck can't keep his eyes off you, like your ass is stamped "Property of Puck" or something," Tina commented.

Rachel had an odd expression on her face, as if she had a secret that she didn't know whether or not to share. Tina caught on immediately, and incredulously continued, "Don't tell me his name is stamped on your…Rachel, did you get a tattoo?" Rachel smiled sheepishly and explained, "Well, for my 18th birthday, I decided to do something 'not me', so…" "Please let me see it," Tina pleaded. "OK, but you can't tell a soul," Rachel conspired.

They entered the powder room and closed the door. Rachel hiked up her dress on the right side until it reached just below her waist. On her right lower hip, barely above her low cut panties, was "Noah" written in script, bordered on each side with musical notes. It was very delicate, no more than 2 inches in length. She readjusted her dress down once Tina had examined her body art. "Tina, my dads don't know, and they would kill me. You can't breathe a word," she pleaded. "That's OK, I did the same thing," Tina admitted. She raised her top up a bit and lowered the waistband on her shorts, revealing "Mike Chang Forever". Rachel giggled, "We are _so bad_, Tina." They high-fived, opened the door, and returned to the others.

Finn and Mike tended to grilling the burgers and the conversation centered around college plans when the two girls reunited with the group. Noah looked at Rachel quizzically, but she smiled warmly at him and kissed him on the cheek as he made room for her on the chaise. "So," Quinn teased, "will you two be in your little love nest in the 'Big Apple'?" Rachel laughed and answered, "No, Quinn. Actually, Noah will be living with three other guys and Kurt and I are renting an apartment about six blocks away." Everyone (save Finn and his date) glanced around knowingly at each other, and Rachel laughingly defended, "Sorry to disappoint you, but Kurt and I didn't know where Noah would be living when we chose our apartment. It was a good price, not a bad location, and about a 20 minute subway ride to our respective campuses."

"Kurt, I thought Mr. Schue said you were going to NYU, too," Brittany said. "Yes, Brittany, but that was for performing. The costume design program at NYU is for graduate students," Kurt explained. "I applied to Pace University, and they were impressed enough with my portfolio that they offered me a scholarship." Kurt smiled and acknowledged the murmurs of congratulations. "Granted, it only covers part of my tuition, but everything helps. They said I could always take acting or music classes as electives, so I cancelled my NYU audition," he concluded.

"Quinn, have you talked to your roommate, yet?" Mercedes asked. "Yeah, we've emailed and skyped once or twice," she explained. "She seems like a nice girl, but you really don't know until you've actually lived together. My sister had absolute horror stories about her college roommates." Quinn shuddered. "How about you, Mercedes?" she inquired. "I'll be living with my aunt and uncle," Mercedes confirmed. "They live outside of LA; my parents would only agree to the move if I lived with them," she explained.

"What about you, Santana?" Blaine inquired. "I decided to turn down the cheerleading scholarship," Santana replied, looking distractedly at her brightly polished nails, the back of her hand facing her. "I'm _so_ over cheering. If I never wear another uniform, it'll be too soon," she said, in a slightly bored tone. She continued, "I'll be joining Finnessa at State until I figure out what the fuck I'm gonna do with my life." Finn scowled at the nickname, and Santana looked around at her friends and their varying degrees of surprise at her admission. "Papi says that I'm the most argumentative person he knows; maybe I'll go to law school," she said, chuckling. "I love to sing, thanks to you gleeks," she smirked, "but there's more than one way of becoming famous, so, I guess we'll see…"

Brittany seemed dejected. "What's the matter, Britt?" Santana concernedly asked. "I should have graduated with you guys," she sighed, "but you know Figgins is holding me back." "Artie," Rachel inquired, "will you still be studying with Sam this year?" "That's the plan," Artie replied, grinning. "Well, would you mind including Brittany?" she asked. "Tina and Blaine, maybe you could join them," she suggested. "Between the five of you, Brittany should be able to pull up her grades, and Sam will be able to manage his dyslexia." "Sure, Rachel, I'd be glad to," Tina graciously accepted. "I'm in," Blaine confirmed. "Artie," Tina requested, "just let us know the schedule when school starts in the fall." "N.P., Tina," Artie assured her. "Thanks, guys!" Brittany gratefully acknowledged.

Dinner was ready shortly, and everybody filled their plates with the various salads that the girls had brought, as well as the burgers (excluding Rachel) that Santana provided. Apparently, Mike's older brother had volunteered to purchase beer, but Dr. Lopez had insisted that Santana reluctantly swear that there would be no alcohol, so they made do with iced tea and lemonade.

While they were eating, Rachel's cell phone began playing "Big Spender". "Hi, Dad!" she answered. "How's Daddy? How are Grammy and Papa? Good…OK. I'll ask him." Rachel paused and covered the mouthpiece, moving the phone down slightly. "Kurt, Dad says that my Grammy has a coffee table and some end tables in the basement that we can use…lamps too." Kurt rolled his eyes and politely replied, "Please ask your dad to describe them." "Dad, Kurt wants to know what they look like…" Rachel paused to listen, and after the description had been conveyed, said "OK, I'll tell him, hold on." She again covered the receiver and said, "He says they're mid-century modern, probably teak. The lamps are kind of a turquoise color, same era." Kurt pondered for a minute and said "tell your Dad that they sound doable, please thank your grandparents, and your dads for bringing them back." "Kurt says thank you, Dad; they sound great! OK, Love you, too. Send my love to Daddy and everybody. Thanks…Bye." "Well, Kurt," Rachel stated, smiling, "we now have a coffee table, end tables, and lamps for the sofa." Kurt reminded Rachel, "That should work with the sofa bed Dad said we could take. Thank goodness, we finally have furniture."

After dinner was completed and the patio cleaned up, dusk was beginning to fall. The teens walked to the golf course a couple of blocks away, where fireworks were going to be set off once it was dark. Noah brought his guitar and Brittany and Quinn carried the more portable desserts. There were plenty of blankets to go around as everybody settled down on the grass to wait for night to finally fall. Noah played his guitar, and the group sang along. It was a bittersweet moment, as they realized it would be a long time before they would be together again.

Darkness finally fell, and as the couples present snuggled closely, the fireworks show began. "Oh, Noah," Rachel sighed, "I hate for this evening to end." "Nothin' like fireworks on the 4th of July," Noah concurred. "It's more than that," she explained mournfully. "Everybody's going their separate ways. Nothing will be the same, again." "'Course not," he advised, "that's how it's supposed to be. You're goin' to conquer New York, Mercedes will rock LA… ya' know, fulfill our destinies, or some shit." Rachel, who had by now grown accustomed to Puck's swearing, rarely admonished him. "But Noah," she said in a timid voice," what if I _don't_?"

Noah squeezed Rachel comfortingly. "Rach, I _know_ you'll make it. You're too hard-headed not to." Rachel giggled at his reassurance. He continued, "If you were able to convince Admissions to let ya' live off campus with Porcelain, then you can do anything ya' put your mind to." He turned his head to make eye contact with Rachel. "And, worst case, if ya' don't, you'll always have me." Rachel sighed, contentedly this time. "Although I'm committed to my goals, that doesn't sound like a 'worst case' scenario to me at all, Noah Puckerman," she said, lovingly, and kissed him soundly on the lips. "Just so ya' know, Baby, I'm in it for the long haul," he confided. "So am I," she tenderly confirmed. They cuddled together and watched the remainder of the program in silence, save for the occasional punctuation of "ooh" and "aah" at the more spectacular displays.


	3. Chapter 3

Chapter 3

After the July 4th holiday, the pace of summer seemed to accelerate. Suddenly, July was almost over, and in less than 10 days they would be leaving for New York. Before that adventure began, Noah and Rachel spent a three-day weekend in Columbus with their respective grandparents. Although they would be in town again for Rosh Hashanah, this would be more relaxed visit, and probably the last one until the semester break in December.

Noah's Nana was determined to extend Rachel's culinary skills to include some of his favorite dishes, which she and Rachel's Bubbe had concurred was the next logical step toward matrimony. When the teens had visited in June, Rachel had learned how to make cheese blintzes from scratch. Given her less-limiting vegetarian diet, Rachel was able to taste the fruits of her labor and found the results to be surprisingly good. Her boyfriend's appreciation was expressed more intimately (several times over) while Rachel's Bubbe and Zadie were conveniently out for dinner and a movie that evening.

Much to Rachel's chagrin and Noah's entertainment, today Rachel was to prepare a roasted chicken according to Nana Connie's specifications. Rachel, ever meticulous, attempted to take notes and capture the recipe, but, unfortunately, that was not to be. "How many carrots should I grate, Nana Connie?" Rachel inquired, pencil hovering above her spiral notebook. "Enough, dear," was the older woman's enigmatic reply.

"But, how many are 'enough'?" Rachel worried. "Well, that depends on the size of the carrots," she explained, smiling inscrutably. "Sometimes two, sometimes three, maybe even four. You can tell better after you grate one or two." "How many cups would that be, Nana Connie?" Rachel politely asked, again poised to commit the answer to paper. Connie chuckled. "I don't know, dear; that depends on how much chicken there is. I've been making this over 50 years and never measured it. You'll learn to gauge it over time." As Rachel's frustration mounted, Noah was in the living room, eavesdropping, and trying to maintain his composure or risk falling off the sofa from laughing so hard.

Nana Connie left Rachel for a moment and entered the living room. "Excuse me, mister smarty-pants," she admonished, "but if you think you're going to sit on your lazy tuchus all afternoon, you have another thing coming." She glared at her grandson, who was trying, largely unsuccessfully, to stifle his laughter. "Now march yourself into the kitchen, wash your hands, and start peeling potatoes," she instructed. Noah acquiesced and, laughter presently subsided, was soon busily at work, now with a front-row, center seat at Rachel's lesson.

Rachel had been tempted to measure each ingredient as it was completed for inclusion, but she didn't have the chance. After grating all of the vegetable components and mixing them with the ketchup (that's right, deal with it), the goal was to coat each piece of meat and each potato liberally with the sauce. The expression on Rachel's face as she manipulated the raw chicken sent Puck into further spasms of laughter, and he was banished from the condo, at least temporarily. Soon the dish was complete, the roasting pan in the oven, and after washing up from the raw chicken, Rachel and Connie sat down to a glass of iced tea.

"Nana Connie," Rachel began, "I appreciate your taking the time to share your recipes with me, but Noah can cook for himself. I'm not sure I understand the point." "Certainly he can, dear," Connie agreed. "When you care for somebody, you want to please them, to take care of them, to nurture them, if you will. Of course," she clarified, "they want to do the same for you, in turn. Going to the trouble of preparing something special for someone is truly an act of love." She paused to make sure her point was getting across. "Rachel, you wouldn't be here if you didn't want to be; few girls your age would give up an afternoon to spend time with an old lady, just to learn how to make something they wouldn't even eat." She looked knowingly at Rachel, and continued, "Whether or not you're ready to acknowledge it, that's love."

Rachel looked thoughtfully into her drink and was about to speak when they heard the door being unlocked and opened. "Hey, something smells good!" Noah exclaimed as he entered the kitchen. "How are my two favorite girls?" he queried. He kissed his grandmother on the cheek and Rachel on the top of her head, and stood behind her, hands resting on her shoulders. "Why don't you two kids go out and enjoy the rest of the afternoon?" Nana Connie suggested. Rachel opened her mouth to protest, and the older woman stopped her. "Go on, dear, I'll finish up in here. How about I call your Bubbe and invite them to dinner?" "That would be lovely, Nana Connie, thank you," Rachel graciously replied.

Rachel and Noah kissed Nana Connie goodbye and headed out the door. Their first stop was at a Dairy Queen about six blocks away, where they purchased a chocolate/cherry "blizzard" with two spoons. They continued for two or three more blocks to a lovely public park, where they shared their treat at a picnic table under a shady maple tree. They sat close together, thigh pressing against thigh, as they enjoyed their ice cream (well, Noah primarily did) and people-watched. Dogs were being walked, families congregated for picnics, and children played on the swings.

Noah had just fed a giggling Rachel a spoonful of ice cream when their bubble of intimacy was burst by a little girl who stood about two feet from them, looking at them inquisitively. They smiled at her, and she became very animated, grinning, pointing at Noah and shouting "Puu…Puu," as if she was trying to pronounce "Puck" but couldn't quite get the "uck" out. Rachel's eyes widened and Noah paled beneath his tan. They looked at each other and simultaneously whispered "Beth".

Although Noah's immediate instinct was to pick up his daughter, he realized that in their current setting, it might be taken as an attempt at abduction. Rachel froze in place. "What if Shelby's here?" she worriedly whispered. The couple didn't have long to wait, and, fortunately, it wasn't Shelby who approached them. The woman appeared to be in her mid-thirties; aside from her highlighted blonde hair, she resembled Shelby enough to surmise that this woman was her sister. She picked the child up, and her first sentence confirmed it: "I'm sorry if my niece was bothering you. She's usually shy around strangers, but she immediately gravitated toward you."

The woman looked at the pair inquisitively, and Rachel decided to put her acting skills to use. "Your niece?" she inquired, as if she had no idea who they were, and the woman nodded. "She's beautiful. Does she resemble her mother?" "Actually, my sister adopted her," the woman replied. "She never had children, and apparently two kids at the school where she taught got 'in trouble'," she explained. "She decided that she wanted to be a mother, and was able to sign the papers and take the baby straight from the hospital. Took us all by surprise," she volunteered.

Both teens were taken aback by this stranger's admission. Shelby had apparently kept her pregnancy a secret from her family, and they never questioned how she got the funds to move to New York 18 years ago. Rachel quickly decided "nothing ventured, nothing gained", and continued the conversation. "Did she ever tell you anything about the parents?" she inquired with as pleasant a smile as she could muster. "Nothing in particular," the woman replied. "Personally, I thought the father might be this kid she was mentoring, Jesse I think his name was, but she did mention that the father was Jewish, so it wasn't him. We're Jewish, too; maybe that's part of what drove her decision." She chuckled. "We'll never know; Shirley's pretty tight-lipped about everything."

"She looks like she's about two," Noah mused, and the women nodded her head. "At her age, bet she's a handful," he said thoughtfully. "Are you takin' care of her, or is her mom here, too?" "No, Shirley's interviewing for a job out of town and I have my niece to myself for a few days," she responded. She laughingly shook her head. "At our age, I don't know how she does it. She's a great kid, and I love her to death, but I couldn't handle her for more than a couple days." She paused and looked directly at Rachel and Noah. "One word of advice; have your babies while you're young enough to keep up with them." She smiled and put a struggling Beth on the ground, taking her hand in the process. "Well, she's apparently ready to move on," she said, chuckling. "Sorry if I bent your ears too long. I've been up to my eyeballs in 'Dora' and 'Spongebob' lately, and it was refreshing just to speak to somebody who can actually form complete sentences. It was nice meeting you." Shelby's sister, who had never introduced herself by name, walked off with a bubbly Beth toward the swing set.

Once the woman was safely out of earshot, Rachel spoke, albeit quietly. "I think I just met my aunt," she said incredulously. "Although," she continued, "she apparently has no idea that she has a niece, aside from Beth." Noah put his arm around Rachel and gave her a comforting squeeze. "You're probably better off, Rach." He kissed her on the temple, and they sat for a moment in reflective silence. "Rachel… if anything ever happened to Shelby, how would you feel about us raising Beth?" he hesitantly asked.

Rachel looked perplexed (briefly); Shelby might not be her favorite person (by a long shot), but she was still her mother, and she wished her no harm. Additionally, although "having a family with Noah" had crossed her mind more often than she would care to admit, she wasn't ready to either fully acknowledge or act upon that vague, seemingly distant future. She thought for a moment, choosing her words carefully, while Noah looked at her expectantly. "Noah, if it truly ever came down to it, Beth is your daughter. If you were able to obtain custody and raise her, I would support you in that decision, and be there for her as a sister, aunt, or surrogate mother, whichever role was most appropriate at that time." Noah grinned. "Berry, only you could turn 'yes' into a dissertation." Before she could defend her choice of verbiage, he kissed her, and as his tongue sought shelter in her welcoming mouth (and she returned the favor, so to speak), her thought train was, at least temporarily, derailed.

* * *

**Author's Notes**: "Tuchus" is the Yiddish word for rear end/fanny/butt/ass…name your poison, same body part.

Also, if you didn't read "Why Is This Night Different?", it turns out that Shelby is originally from Columbus, and her "real" name is Shirley.


	4. Chapter 4

**Author's Note**: Just to be clear, the prior chapter was not intended as foreshadowing. Rachel and Noah are freshmen in college, and are not going to be saddled with raising Beth or having any babies of their own at this stage in their lives.

* * *

Chapter 4

Summer raced by, and in what seemed like an instant, Rachel, Kurt, and Noah were on their way to New York. Rachel's Dad, LeRoy and Burt Hummel each drove their respective cars, and the group had rented a U-Haul. Sam Evans and Blaine Anderson had volunteered to come along and help their friends set up their new apartments. Amidst hugs, kisses, and lots of tears (from Debbie Puckerman and Hiram Berry), the caravan left Lima, Ohio on its nine-plus hour journey to Brooklyn, New York.

Burt and LeRoy had decided to break the trip into two days to allow more time to move the kids into their respective apartments. They had made good time both days, and by noon on the second day, they were crossing the Brooklyn Bridge. Rachel, who had been unusually quiet for the duration of the ride, squeezed Noah's hand tightly. "What's up, Rach?" he inquired. "We're here, Noah; we're here!" She repeated excitedly. "Yeah, Baby, I know," he acknowledged, and rubbed her back soothingly.

"Noah, this is something I've planned for my entire life," she said worriedly. "What if I don't make it? What if I fail?" LeRoy was about to speak, and Noah politely cut him off, "It's OK, LeRoy, I've got this one," he assured Rachel's father. "Rachel," he began, "don't even consider that; you _won't _fail. You have more talent in your right index finger than anybody I know has, period." Rachel blushed and looked up at Noah concernedly. "Are you sure, Noah?" she queried. "'Course I'm sure, Rach. Look, if NYU didn't think you had 'what it takes', they never would have offered you a scholarship, right?" he asked. "No, I suppose not, she said quietly, "even though it's not a full ride, it certainly helps." "So, if they have faith in you, you need to have faith, too," he concluded." "Thank you, Noah," she replied. "Any time, Rach!" he acknowledged.

Since Noah had fewer items to unload, their first stop was at his new residence. Everybody got out of the cars to stretch their legs and begin unloading, and Noah rang the doorbell. A pleasant-looking woman, somewhere in her mid- to late-forties opened the door. "May I help you?" she kindly inquired. "Um, Mrs. Rosen?" Noah asked. She nodded. "Um…hi! I'm Noah Puckerman, your new tenant," he introduced himself, and extended his right hand, which she shook. "Hello, Noah, welcome to New York!" she greeted, "I'm Miriam Rosen."

She looked out at the group of people milling about. "Oh, sorry, Mrs. Rosen, let me introduce you…" he began. "This is my girlfriend, Rachel Berry," to which Rachel, who stood beside Noah, smiled, said "Hello", and shook hands with the woman. "Over there is LeRoy Berry, Rachel's father," and LeRoy waived from where he was standing, "Kurt Hummel, who is Rachel's roommate," Kurt smiled and waived, as well. "This is Congressman Burt Hummel, Kurt's father," and Burt said "Hello" and waived, "and two of our friends, who are helping us move, Blaine Anderson and Sam Evans." Each boy waived in turn.

"You all must be exhausted from your trip," she said. "Please come in and have some iced tea and rest for a minute," she graciously invited everybody, "and then I'll show you where Noah will be staying, and you may unpack." "Thank you, Mrs. Rosen, this is very kind of you," Rachel complimented. They entered her home and she announced, "If anybody needs to 'freshen up', the bathroom is to your left, and down the hall," and she pointed in the general direction.

As the Ohioans took turns doing just that, Mrs. Rosen busied herself placing glasses and a pitcher of iced tea on the table, as well as some cut up fruit, cookies and slices of coffee cake. "This is lovely, Mrs. Rosen, thank you," Rachel acknowledged. "I'm happy to oblige, dear," she replied. "It'll give us all a chance to get better acquainted." She smiled as the group began congregating around the kitchen table. Responding to the unusual noise, two young teens entered the area. The girl was tall (at least, taller than Rachel) with blondish hair, reasonably attractive, and slightly plump. The boy was at least a head shorter than his sister with a head full of dark curls and a mouth full of braces. "These are two of our children," Mrs. Rosen introduced, "Jennifer, or Jenny, our eldest, is 15 and Michael, next in line, is 12. Our two youngest are at the park with Cantor Rosen right now," she explained.

Jennifer's face lit up as she looked at the older boys as if it was Chanukah and she just walked into a room full of presents all for her. Her eyes settled on Noah, and she smiled, at first, as if she had just discovered a box from Tiffany's; she then noticed Rachel, who was currently seated next to Noah, his arm about her shoulders and her hand resting gently on his thigh, and her face took on a petulant expression. Apparently, she had seen something that she wanted, along with the obstacle in her way.

"Michael is currently studying for his Bar Mitzvah," his mother proudly explained, "and our Jenny is a sophomore in high school. She's trying out for cheerleading, and once she makes her mind up, she usually accomplishes her goal. She's aptly named; just like the song." Mrs. Rosen winked at her daughter, who blushed slightly, and Rachel's eyes lit up at the Broadway reference. "You mean, from 'Lady in the Dark'?" she inquired. "I'm surprised you would know that, Rachel," Mrs. Rosen commented. Rachel grinned and sang the first two lines of the chorus. "Well, I'm impressed," Mrs. Rosen exclaimed. "Not only do you know the song, but you have a lovely voice." Rachel smiled and Jennifer glowered. "Thank you, Mrs. Rosen," Rachel replied, and Noah stated, "Rachel's majoring in Drama at Tisch, and minoring in music," Puck elucidated. "You're right, she does have an amazing voice," he stated, as he gave her shoulders a loving squeeze.

"What are you boys taking up in school?" Mrs. Rosen inquired, not wanting to leave anybody out. Kurt answered first: "I'm going to Pace University for a BFA in Costume Design." Sam spoke up next: "Well, Blaine and I are seniors in high school. We all became friends through our school's glee club." "In fact," Blaine chimed in, "our group came in first in the National Show Choir competition this year. Rachel, Puck, Kurt…in fact, all of the graduating seniors were the backbone of our team. We have a big void to fill with their leaving." Mrs. Rosen grinned. "That's _too_ coincidental; my husband, Jack was a high school teacher and show choir coach before he decided to become a cantor."

"Your friends call you 'Puck'?" Jennifer interjected, trying unsuccessfully to flirt. "Yeah, but I'll answer to either," he politely replied. "You've always been Noah to me, you know" Rachel said, smiling tenderly, and Noah kissed her on her temple. Jennifer turned away and rolled her eyes. Kurt noticed and whispered to Blaine, "I think the girl has a little crush on our Mr. Puckerman. This ought to be interesting…"

After a few more minutes of polite conversation, Mrs. Rosen said, "I'll take you to your new home, Noah, and you can unload your things." She handed him a key, and said, "Here's the key, hon." She also gave him a sheet of paper, explaining "This is a list of local businesses; I'm sure it will come in handy." Noah scanned the list to see several markets, a gym, coffee shops, restaurants, etc. "This is great, thanks! Would you happen to have an extra one for Kurt and Rachel?" he inquired. "Of course," she answered, and gave another copy to Rachel. They exited the Rosen home and went next door to the adjoining property. Noah unlocked the door and walked in, followed by the group.

The main floor had a living room/dining room area and a nice-sized kitchen with a table and chairs, and a powder room. The second and third floors each had two modestly sized bedrooms and a bathroom. "Since you're here first, Noah, you may pick your room," Mrs. Rosen instructed, "except for the front bedroom on the second floor. That's David's room; he lived here last year, as well." "Thanks, Mrs. Rosen," Noah said. "If it's OK, I'd like the front bedroom on the third floor."

The guys went into the U-Haul and retrieved Noah's bed frame, mattress, and box spring and began the trek upstairs. Rachel retrieved his acoustic guitar and laptop, and Burt and LeRoy took his electric guitar, amplifier, and keyboard. His clothes and supplies came out last, and suddenly, Puck was, if not unpacked and "at home", at least moved in. That task accomplished, the group bid their goodbyes to Mrs. Rosen and traveled the six blocks to Rachel's and Kurt's new apartment.

* * *

**Author's Note**: If I had my choice of whom to cast these parts for an arc on "Glee", I would choose Jason Alexander and Camryn Manheim to play Cantor and Mrs. Rosen. Unfortunately, I don't know of any young actors who would be appropriate for the 15-year-old, so I guess she remains somewhat faceless.

Next chapter, Rachel and Kurt move in.


	5. Chapter 5

Chapter 5

As the remainder of their little entourage waited by the cars, Rachel and Kurt entered the apartment manager's office and introduced themselves: "Hi, we're Rachel Berry and Kurt Hummel, and we're here to move in to our apartment." Mr. Frank, the landlord, had met Rachel previously, when she and Hiram first visited the place during the spring. "Of course, I remember you, Ms. Berry," he said, reaching over and shaking her hand. "It's nice to meet you, Mr. Hummel; I'm Gary Frank, the complex manager," he introduced himself to Kurt and they shook hands, as well. "I'm gonna need your signature on the lease, your security deposit and first month's rent, and then we'll walk through your apartment together to make sure everything is in order," he explained.

Kurt and Rachel signed the lease and paid, and the three left the office to examine the property. As they were walking to the building, Mr. Frank mentioned "Utilities are included, and the cable company will be here on Wednesday to hook up your TV. The building is set up for WI-FI, and the password is included in your paperwork." Entering the building, they went up a flight of stairs, and as they walked down the corridor toward the apartment, the manager pointed and mentioned "The laundry room's down the hall, over there." Upon entering the space, they noticed that it appeared clean and freshly painted; as Rachel remembered, there was a smallish living room/dining room area and a galley kitchen with a pass-through, two small to average-sized bedrooms, and one bathroom. The floors were hardwood and there was a lot of natural light, making the space seem bigger than it actually was. Once the walk-through was completed and any minor issues noted, the two new tenants and apartment manager all signed off on the inspection agreement. "Here are your keys, guys," Mr. Frank said as he handed Rachel and Kurt each their keys. "This one," he held up one key, "is for the front door and this one," he showed the second key, "is for the apartment. "Welcome to New York! If you have any questions, stop by and see me," he invited, and took his leave to return to the office.

Kurt and Rachel hugged and started jumping up and down like two small children. "Rachel," Kurt exclaimed, "I can't believe it; we're actually here!" "I know, Kurt, this is amazing!" Rachel agreed. "We'll have to put up some curtains, though," Kurt commented. "If I have to look at those vertical blinds for an entire year, I'll go insane!" "That will be fine, Kurt, we'll put it on our 'to-do' list," Rachel laughingly concurred. "Well, let's get the others and move in," she suggested. "The quicker we're in, the faster we can clean the bathroom." Kurt laughed, "I'm with you there, girlfriend. It's never truly home until you've scrubbed the toilet!" Arm in arm, they left to begin unloading the trailer and officially move in.

Fortunately for all concerned, Rachel had secured a floor plan when she first viewed the apartment. Kurt had made cutouts that represented their furniture and area rugs, and they spent the better part of a week rearranging the "furniture" until they were happy with the overall flow. Between the seven of them, it seemed like no time before the furniture was placed in its designated locations and the carefully labeled boxes were in their respective rooms. Somehow, all of the family cast-offs, estate sale finds, and Target area rugs blended together well, creating a homey, retro effect. The only odd piece was a third printer, apparently Noah's, which had been overlooked when his belongings were removed from the trailer.

Everybody was seated, resting after their endeavors. "Thank you all, this is amazing!" Rachel gratefully exclaimed. "You're welcome, Pumpkin," LeRoy responded. "Burt, would you mind turning in the trailer?" he asked Burt. "No problem, LeRoy, why do you ask?" Burt replied. "Since Noah needs his printer, I thought I'd drop him off at home and meet you guys at the motel," he explained. "We'll clean up and rest, and give Rachel and Kurt time to at least clean the bathroom," he looked knowingly at his daughter, "which I'm sure they are plotzing to do by now." "Dad, you know me too well," Rachel laughingly acknowledged. "We'll figure out where to go for dinner, later, and pick the kids up then," he concluded."

Per LeRoy's suggestion, Noah reclaimed his printer and the two left to return to the duplex; Burt, Sam, and Blaine went to turn in the U-Haul, and Rachel and Kurt delved into their box of cleaning supplies and began scouring the bathroom.

LeRoy actually had an ulterior motive; he wanted to speak to Noah, alone, and the printer offered him a golden opportunity to do so. "Noah," he began, "you realize that Hiram and I think the world of you, and we're happy that you and Rachel are together." "Thanks, LeRoy, that means a lot to me," Puck humbly replied. "We want you to take care of each other, and Kurt, too," he continued. "Don't worry, LeRoy; I'll always take care of Rachel," he sincerely responded.

"That's good to know, son," LeRoy commented. "I want you to promise me something, Noah," LeRoy requested. "What's that?" Noah asked. "Don't any of you walk alone after dark," he requested seriously. "I understand it's only a few blocks and the area seems relatively safe. Hiram and I discussed this with your mother, and the consensus is stay at your place, or Rachel's, but don't be out alone late at night." Noah was taken aback; after all, his girlfriend's father was encouraging him to spend the night with his daughter, rather than be a "gentleman" and go home. "If that's what you want, LeRoy, we'll do that," he answered. "I'll make sure it's OK with the Rosens for Rachel to stay overnight," he assured. "Oh, and Noah," LeRoy paused as Noah said "Yes?", and then continued "Please look out for Kurt, too." Noah grinned and responded, "Of course I will. The three of us are kinda in this together, ya' know…three kids from 'Nowhere', Ohio takin' on the 'Big Apple'."

They had approached the duplex, and Noah exited the car to take the printer up to his room. "LeRoy, thanks for everything," he acknowledged. "And don't worry; I promise to look out for Rachel." LeRoy replied, "I know you will, Noah. Now, go make your bed, unpack, and get some rest. We'll call you in a couple of hours and let you know about dinner."

As Noah made his way up to the third floor to unpack and begin his new life, six blocks away, Rachel and Kurt had begun scrubbing away at whatever traces remained (if any) of the prior tenants, singing "Happy Working Song". Laughing, Kurt remarked, "With all due respect, Rachel, if one cockroach shows up to help, I will scream so loud they will hear me back in Lima!" "I'll be right beside you, Kurt," Rachel agreed, giggling. Within an hour or so, the bathroom was cleaned to their satisfaction, the shower curtain hung, the toilet paper in place, and their towels on the towel bars, and Kurt and Rachel sat down for a much needed break.

"You know, Kurt," Rachel began, "I would really like to treat everybody to dinner for all of their help." "I absolutely agree," Kurt concurred. "Let's look at the list Puck's landlady gave us, and check online for reviews," he suggested. Maybe we can order in some pizza." "Sounds, perfect, Kurt," Rachel agreed. "I would really like to treat Noah, too, after all the work he did, but I think he'll want to chip in," she said knowingly. "I'll text him." Rachel sent "Hi, Noah! :-)". He responded "Hi, Baby! What up?" "Noah, Kurt & I want to treat everybody to dinner," She returned. "K. I'm in," he replied. "Noah, you worked so hard, we wanted to thank you, too," she texted. "U can thnk me l8tr, babe ;-). I want 2 go in 2," he answered. "OK, Noah, I'll let you know once the plans are made. See you later XOXO," she typed. "L8tr, babe ;-)" he entered, ending the conversation. "Well, he says he's 'in'," she confirmed.

"Let's get started in the kitchen," Kurt suggested. "Good idea, Kurt," Rachel agreed. "We'll do as much as we can tonight." "And finish up tomorrow…and go to the market," Kurt commented. "We should make up a schedule…OMG, Rachel, we are _so _'Type A'!" They high-fived and both busted out laughing, Rachel concurring, "You're right about that, Kurt!" "An apartment is sure a lot of work," Kurt admitted. "Are you sorry you just didn't live in the dorm, after all, Diva?" "Absolutely not, Kurt!" Rachel affirmed. "I've had to deal with enough 'mean girls' to last a lifetime." "Yes, and now the meanest girl of all is one of your best friends," Kurt teased. "Go figure!"

Rachel laughed. "You're right, Kurt, who saw that one coming?" she agreed. "I'd rather be here, living with my best friend, and only a few blocks away from my boyfriend. What could be better?" She queried, as she reached out and squeezed Kurt's hand. "Speaking of said boyfriend," Kurt interjected, "I am literally astounded by how much Puck has changed." "He hasn't really changed, Kurt," Rachel explained, "he's finally able to be himself." She paused for a second, ruminating over how to explain. "He doesn't need to be 'Puck' any more; no throwing kids in dumpsters…" Kurt pointed his thumb at himself, "…or tossing slushies on 'losers'…" Rachel pointed at herself,"…or picking fights to prove his 'bad-assedness'," Rachel air quoted as she used that phrase. "He's achieved so much and is truly proud of his accomplishments, as he should be," she stated, "and I'm immensely proud of him, as well. There isn't anyone I'd rather be with," she concluded, smiling wistfully. "No feelings left for Finn?" Kurt slyly inquired. "Aside from friendship, no, Kurt; definitely not," Rachel avowed, "and no regrets. That ship has sailed and gone off to sea, on the USS Ohio State."

Kurt glanced at his watch and stood up. "Well, missy, time waits for no one, and we might as well get busy." The two friends walked into the kitchen armed with cleaning supplies and determined expressions. Within 20 minutes, Kurt's ring tone "Greased Lightning" began. Rachel looked at him oddly as he answered the phone. "What…my dad's a mechanic…" he responded ironically as he answered the phone, "Hi, Dad...No, actually, _we_ want to treat _you_ to dinner…No, thank you, but we insist…Rachel, Puck, and I discussed it…We thought maybe pizza…Yes, we're sure…You're welcome, Dad…Yeah, get a consensus and let me know; we'll order in…Seven sounds great…And you'll pick up Puck? Great…See you at seven, Dad. Thanks again for everything…Bye! Rachel, he asked me to thank you, too," Kurt mentioned, after which he hung up the phone and they returned to cleaning.

* * *

**Author's Notes:** "Plotz" is a Yiddish word that means to burst or explode.

"Happy Working Song" is from the film "Enchanted"; the music was written by Alan Menken and the lyrics by Stephen Schwartz.


	6. Chapter 6

Chapter 6

By 7:00, Rachel had confirmed what everybody wanted for dinner and placed an order at a pizzeria about two blocks away that was on Mrs. Rosen's list. She had put it on her credit card to ensure that neither her father nor Burt would pick up the tab. Kurt had already reimbursed his third, and she knew Noah would do the same. Soon everybody was there, and they were sitting about in the living room, eating pizza and salad out of paper plates, drinking soda from plastic cups, and enjoying each others' company. The evening flew by, and soon it was time for their guests to take their leave for the long journey back to Ohio, which would commence in the morning.

Rachel hugged Blaine, then Sam, whispering in his ear "Samuel, please take care of my dads for me." He nodded, kissed her on the cheek, and whispered in her ear "I will, Rachel." Rachel and Kurt hugged each other's fathers, thanking them for their help. Saying goodbye to their own fathers proved far more difficult, and both Rachel and Kurt were in tears. Burt reiterated how proud he was of Kurt, and LeRoy reminded Rachel that he would see her in a few weeks, when she and Noah were in Columbus for Rosh Hashanah. It was finally time for them to say goodbye to their respective boyfriends; LeRoy, Burt, and Sam had gone to the car, Kurt and Blaine were in the living room, and Rachel and Noah had retreated to her bedroom.

Noah and Rachel embraced and kissed each other passionately. "I've been waitin' for that for two days," he said with a satisfied grin. "Me, too," she said tenderly, running her index finger lightly over his jaw line. They snuggled together, arms encircled about each other as they continued talking, enjoying their close proximity. Noah volunteered, "I'll bring breakfast in the morning, and the three of us can hit the market." "That will be lovely," Rachel agreed, as she peppered his face with kisses, and slowly began working down his neck while he held her tightly, lost in the moment.

She felt the beginning of his arousal, and he broke their embrace, teasing, "If we don't stop now, we're gonna end up on our backs." He kissed her once more (for good measure), and Rachel sighed. "I'm gonna go, Babe. See ya' tomorrow," he regretfully said, and before opening the door, took out his wallet and reimbursed Rachel for dinner. "Thank you, Noah, for everything. Call me when you get home?" she asked, looking up at him adoringly. "Of course, Rach," he agreed. "Talk to you later." He kissed her hand, then opened the door and exited the room. Kurt and Blaine were both drying tears, and Noah and Blaine left the apartment together, his arm consolingly around Blaine's shoulders.

Rachel approached Kurt, who was seated on the couch, still sniffling. "Are you OK, Kurt?" she tentatively inquired as she sat down. "Yes…No…I don't know, Rachel," Kurt sighed. "I'm really gonna miss Blaine," he admitted. "And we decided that we weren't breaking up, exactly, more like taking a break." Kurt paused and dabbed at his eyes, again. "Blaine and I agreed that we're too young to make a commitment, and that it's better to 'see what's out there' rather than wondering and possibly having regrets later on. Oh, Rachel, it makes so much sense; why is it so hard?" Kurt started sobbing, and Rachel gently took him in her arms and began rocking him, as one would comfort a small child. "Kurt, when you love somebody, it's never easy to say 'goodbye'," she consoled.

Kurt and Rachel sat quietly together for a while, their silence eventually punctuated by Rachel's cell phone ring tone "Sweet Caroline". Both teens smiled, Rachel's tender and Kurt's amused, as Rachel answered her phone, "Hi, Noah!" "Hey, Baby," he replied. "I'm home for the night, and the guys are off to the motel." "Thanks for calling, Noah," Rachel tenderly acknowledged. "See you tomorrow." "Night, Baby," he answered, and they ended the call. Rachel was dreamy-eyed, and Kurt teased, "What was I saying about 'too young for a commitment'? You two seem well on the way…" "I have no idea, Kurt," Rachel clarified, sighing. "You're right; we're way too young to consider that big of a step."

"I do have a question, though," Rachel initiated. "How do you feel about Noah spending the night occasionally?" She paused and looked at Kurt, hoping to find an answer in his expression. "He won't stay over unless you feel comfortable with it; after all, this is your home too," she explained. "Thanks, Rachel; I appreciate your asking my permission," Kurt replied. "That means a lot to me. I don't have a problem with it, at all," he paused and glanced at her slyly, "as long as you keep the volume down." Rachel blushed crimson, and Kurt laughed, his humor at Rachel's expense finally overtaking his momentary sorrow.

* * *

The next morning, Noah awoke to the early morning sunlight streaming through his bedroom window. He scanned the room, thinking how lucky he was to have been given this opportunity, and how determined he was not to screw up. He prepared himself for the day, and was locking the door behind him when he noticed Mrs. Rosen tending her flower beds, removing the weeds that had invaded in the late summer heat. "Hey, Mrs. Rosen, good morning!" Noah greeted her. She looked up, dusting the dirt off her gardening gloves. "Good morning, Noah. Lovely morning, no?" "Yeah, it is," he agreed.

"Where are you off to so early?" she inquired. Noah smiled. "I'm pickin' up some bagels n' coffee, and meetin' Rachel and Kurt for breakfast…" As Noah elucidated their plans, Jennifer, who had recognized his voice stood at her bedroom window, hidden by the curtains, and eavesdropped, hearing Noah say, "Actually, Mrs. Rosen, I was wonderin'..." "Yes, dear?" Mrs. Rosen responded. "Well…would it be OK if Rachel stayed over sometimes?" he hesitantly inquired. Jennifer, upon hearing this, almost screamed aloud "that SLUT!" but, fortunately, restrained herself. Noah continued, "I know ya' said not to bring in a bunch a' different girls, or anythin', but Rachel's my girlfriend…" "I understand, dear," Mrs. Rosen assured him. "She's a lovely girl, and as long as you're discrete and your other housemates are OK with it, we will be, too." Puck noticeably relaxed with her permission. "We have young children…" Jennifer rolled her eyes at her mother's remark, "and we don't want them getting the wrong idea, so to speak, about adult relationships." "Thanks, Mrs. Rosen," Puck acknowledged, "we'll keep it on the q.t."

"Oh, Noah; I forgot to mention…" "Yes, Mrs. Rosen?" he asked. "We usually invite the boys over for Shabbat dinner on Friday evenings. You're welcome to bring Rachel, if you'd like; her roommate, too…Kurt, is it?" "Thanks, Mrs. Rosen! I'll tell them," he gratefully replied. "Just so ya' know, Rachel's a vegetarian," he explained, "so, she's not bein' rude, or anything; she doesn't eat meat." "Thanks for the heads-up, Noah," she cheerfully replied, "I promise not to be offended."

Noah went about his errands and arrived at Rachel's and Kurt's apartment by 9:30. He had picked up some fruit salad, fresh bagels, cream cheese, and coffee from a local coffee shop. He was greeted with an enthusiastic kiss from his girlfriend and a cheerful "Good morning!" from Kurt. He placed the goodies on the kitchen table, and the three friends sat down to enjoy their first breakfast in New York. Noah was excited about his morning's travels. "There's a gym next to the bagel place, and they have a great deal for students," he explained. "It's $20 a month; all you need is to show your student ID. It wasn't fancy, or anything, pretty standard equipment…still, it was clean, and the price is right, and it's walking distance from my apartment," he concluded.

Rachel smiled at Noah, and he flexed his right arm, showing off his bicep. "Gotta take care of the guns, Baby," he teased, and winked at Rachel, who giggled. "Your arms _are_ lovely, Noah," she replied. He then offered, "If you're interested, Kurt, I'll take you over there." Kurt was pleased that Noah had considered him. "Thanks, Puck, I'll definitely keep that in mind. I'd like to see what my class load's like before I join a gym, though," he explained. "No worries, Kurt, just wanted to let ya' know," Noah replied.

Once breakfast was eaten and cleared away, the three friends left to explore their new neighborhood. They returned several hours later, having discovered a nice produce market, several bakeries (including a Kosher one), a Kosher butcher (which Rachel refused to enter), a general supermarket, two bookstores, a music store, and a vintage clothing store (well, Noah could have bypassed the last one). They had purchased enough groceries to feed themselves for at least a few days. After a heartfelt kiss, Noah returned home to put his purchases away and meet his housemates, and Rachel and Kurt attacked the kitchen to line the shelves and unpack their dishes.

* * *

**Author's Note**: I thought it was extremely rude of Rachel to invite Brody to move in without consulting with Kurt, first. One might argue that the conversation happened off-camera, but Kurt was quite surprised to see Brody wandering around the next day. Rachel may be at times self-centered, but she is not disrespectful. Yes, I know it's only TV. ;-)


	7. Chapter 7

Chapter 7

With so much to do before freshman orientation, the days seemed to fly by. The three had gone to check out their respective universities and meet with their advisors, and Rachel had set up appointments with two vocal coaches. One had been recommended by her Aunt Sophie, a music professor at OSU, and the other was suggested by her advisor, Dr. Greene. Rachel had, in fact, met Dr. Greene at her audition for Tisch, and it was he who had convinced her that a minor in music, rather than a double-major in music and drama, would provide the education and training she desired while giving her more time to participate in school productions.

After meeting both instructors, Rachel opted to work with her advisor's choice. Ms. Thomas was one of her aunt's former pupils, and immediately commented on her resemblance to Shelby. Apparently, they had been classmates at OSU, and she innocently asked if they were somehow related. Although Rachel was shaken, she retained her composure; she mentioned that she had met Shelby, who had briefly taught at McKinley, and agreed that there was a similarity in their appearance. Ms. Thomas seemed more than qualified, but Rachel's discomfort outweighed the woman's credentials, and, after her conversation with Mr. Kelly, who was affable, well-qualified, and had never even driven through Ohio, her choice was, at least to her, obvious. She told him she would call as soon as her fall schedule was finalized to set up weekly sessions, which would be counted as a one-credit pass/fail class.

After meeting with his advisor, Noah felt more confident than ever that he had made the right choice. The course work sounded both interesting and challenging, and he marveled over the fact that merely a year ago he had considered trade school his most viable opportunity. He was meeting up with Rachel in Washington Square Park, by the central fountain near the Washington Arch. He walked to the park, enjoying the weather and taking in the scenery. He passed the time people watching, lost in his thoughts as Rachel approached, stealthily sneaking up behind him. She was about to cover his eyes with her hands when he whipped around quickly, grabbing her by the waist and pulling her into his lap, where she was greeted with an amorous kiss.

"It's good to see you too, Noah," Rachel laughingly acknowledged, kissing him back. "What's going on?" she inquired. "I was sittin' here, thinkin' about how I couldn't a' made it here without you and Artie, but especially you." Rachel was about to disagree, telling him he did it of his own accord, when he took her hand and began serenading her, singing "With a Little Help from My Friends". She smiled lovingly at him, and after the first verse, joined him in the chorus. They continued singing together as they got up and began walking, clasped hands swinging to the beat.

Strangers looked at them bemusedly; oddly enough, this being a Mecca for performing arts students, people began joining in, both singing and dancing. It quickly evolved into a surreal Disney moment come to life, or like a TV show where the characters randomly burst into song. Once the piece concluded, everybody cheered, caught up in their "flash mob" experience. A grinning Rachel waived to the crowd, and they turned to walk toward the café where they had planned to meet Kurt, about half-way between their respective campuses. "I feel like a 'Disney princess'," Rachel laughingly remarked, to which Noah teasingly retorted, "Well, you're _my_ hot 'Jewish-American princess'."

* * *

The three friends spent the remainder of the week both separately and collectively exploring their neighborhood as well as the greater Manhattan area. Kurt and Rachel excitedly spent an afternoon at Macy's flagship store, and all three went to pay their respects at the World Trade Center memorial. Noah had spent an afternoon with Cantor Rosen, who took him to the synagogue and showed him around, including the mikvah, which Noah would be helping to maintain.

Noah's housemates had finally moved in: Dave Siegel, who had been a tenant the prior year, was a junior in the pre-med program at NYU. Ben Miller, also a freshman, was majoring in dance at Juilliard, and Alec Berman was a sophomore at the City College of New York, working toward a (pre) law degree. All three boys were looking forward to Friday night dinner with the Rosens, and Dave mentioned that, although it wasn't expected, it was appreciated when the boys attended Saturday services at the synagogue where the Cantor was employed.

When Noah went to pick up Rachel and Kurt for Friday night's dinner, he did so with a change of clothes for Saturday services; adhering to his promise to Rachel's father, i.e. when he walked them home, he would not return to his place alone. Rachel buzzed Noah in and greeted him at the door in a simple black eyelet dress, a red cardigan sweater, and red flats. "Wow, Rach, you look beautiful," he said admiringly, and kissed her sweetly on the lips. Rachel embraced him, but before they could get lost in the moment, Kurt cleared his throat. "Break it up, you two," he teasingly admonished. A giggling Rachel momentarily left her boyfriend to grab her purse and keys, while he entered her bedroom to drop off his things. Kurt did a final check in the mirror, and the three of them left the apartment, Noah and Rachel holding hands, and Kurt carrying a mixed bouquet that he and Rachel had purchased as a hostess gift.

The walk was pleasant in the late summer evening, and dusk had not yet begun to fall as they approached the duplex. Noah rang the bell, and was greeted by Cantor Rosen as he opened the door. "Good Shabbos, everyone," the Cantor greeted them. "Please come in; make yourselves at home." "Good Shabbos," Rachel and Noah replied. "Cantor Rosen, this is my girlfriend, Rachel Berry and her roommate, Kurt Hummel." Rachel and Kurt each shook hands with the Cantor and Kurt said "these are for Mrs. Rosen, from Rachel and me, to thank you for inviting us." "Thank you," the Cantor acknowledged their gift. "Miriam, our guests have something for you," he called out to his wife. She came to the door, drying her hands with a towel. "Oh, thank you, children, these are beautiful!" she exclaimed. "You're welcome, Mrs. Rosen," Rachel replied. "Yes," Kurt chimed in, "thank you for including us."

They were ushered into the living room, where Noah introduced Rachel and Kurt to his roommates. Alec apparently had a girlfriend, Melissa, who had accompanied him. The Rosen children were also present; Michael, who was discussing football with Dave, Jennifer, who eyed Noah hungrily and then Rachel disdainfully, and a pair of cherubic twins. "I don't believe you've met our youngest," the Cantor said. "Noah, Rachel, and Kurt, these are Abigail and Aaron, our six-year-olds." "Hi, guys," Rachel said, smiling genuinely at the little ones, "I'm Rachel." "She's pwetty, I like her," Aaron stated to his chuckling father. "Why, thank you, Aaron, I like you, too," Rachel replied.

"Better look out, Puck, it looks like you have some competition," Kurt teased. Everybody laughed good-naturedly at the joke, excluding Jennifer, who glared contemptuously at Rachel. Fortunately, nobody but her mother noticed, and asked her for some help in the kitchen. When out of earshot, Mrs. Rosen sternly asked her daughter, "What's going on, young lady?" "She doesn't deserve him, Ma!" she petulantly whined. "Oh, and I suppose you do?" her mother queried. Jennifer looked away. "Listen to me, Jennifer Michelle, and listen well," Mrs. Rosen began, "that boy is too old for you in more ways than you know, and he is in a serious, committed relationship." "Jennifer crossed her arms and rolled her eyes, dismissing her mother's opinion. "I'm telling you," she sternly continued, "act like a lady and let this go, or there will be consequences. Do you understand?" "Yes, Mother," Jennifer verbally acknowledged. She was suspicious about her mother's defensiveness where Noah was concerned, and decided she would get to the bottom of it, whatever it was.

Mrs. Rosen left her daughter alone in the kitchen, and she addressed her guests that "Dinner is served." They entered the dining room and were seated. Cantor Rosen said a blessing over the beautiful braided challah before slicing into it, and a blessing over the meal, and dinner began. The atmosphere was open and friendly, and the food was delicious and bountiful. In no time, the students, strangers until recently, felt part of an extended family.

Rachel had offered her services to help serve dinner, which was graciously rejected by Mrs. Rosen. However, she refused to take "no" for an answer regarding clean-up, and began clearing plates as soon as it was evident that everybody was finished. "Noah is really lucky to have you," Mrs. Rosen admiringly commented as they stood in the kitchen rinsing dishes and putting away leftovers. "No, Ma'am, I'm truly the lucky one," Rachel responded with a dreamy smile. "My dads love him; they tolerated my last boyfriend for my sake, but they're truly fond of Noah," she confided. "Dads?" Mrs. Rosen questioned, trying not to sound surprised.

"Yes, I have two gay fathers," Rachel explained. "You met my Dad; my Daddy is a doctor and couldn't rearrange his patients to accompany us this trip." "Do you know your mother, Dear?" she inquired quietly. Emotions flashed across Rachel's face that Mrs. Rosen couldn't quite read, but she rapidly regained her composure. "Yes, I've met her," Rachel acknowledged, but did not elaborate, and the older woman did not question her any further.

Kitchen now cleaned up, they joined the others for coffee and dessert. "Rachel," Cantor Rosen began, "my wife tells me you have a beautiful voice." Rachel smiled, and Noah, whose arm was planted on the back of her chair, gently rubbed her upper arm. "Thank you," Rachel replied. "If it's not imposing, would you mind singing something for us?" he inquired. Rachel, who seldom needed to be asked twice to perform, grinned. "It would be my pleasure, Cantor, as long as Noah will accompany me," she accepted. "Noah," she turned to face him, "would you mind getting your guitar?" "'Course not, Baby. Back in a flash…" They kissed, while Jennifer looked on jealously, and he went next door, returning shortly with his acoustic guitar. He began tuning it as Rachel offered, "Is there anything special you would like to hear?"

"Well," he said, "do you know 'The First Time Ever I Saw Your Face'?" Rachel nodded. "That was the song for our first dance at our wedding," he acknowledged, as his wife (seated next to him) took his hand, and leaned over and kissed him on the cheek. "It was an old song, even then, but it's one of our favorites." "It would be my pleasure," Rachel remarked. "Do you know that one, Noah?" she asked. "Yes, of course, Rach," he replied. "Ready when you are!" Rachel, as always, put her whole heart into the song, and by the third verse, tears were gently rolling down her cheeks. She may have been singing the song _for_ the Rosens, but she was singing _to_ Noah, and they did not loose eye contact, save for the times when she closed her eyes, lost in the music.

She ended the song to appreciative applause, as Noah gently wiped her tears away with the pads of his thumbs. "Thank you, Rachel, that was beautiful," Cantor Rosen acknowledged. "Some day, you'll be a big star on Broadway," he said, "and we'll be able to tell people about the time you sang in our living room." "It was my pleasure, Cantor," a more composed Rachel replied, "and I'll always welcome the opportunity to sing in your living room," she teased. Jennifer had seen enough, and she left the room, unnoticed.

* * *

Back at the apartment, Rachel and Noah were snuggled together on the sofa, while Kurt began getting ready for bed. "All right, you two, listen up," he teasingly announced. "I'll be taking a shower and using my waterproof iPod, so if you want to 'get busy', now is the time." Rachel dissolved into a fit of giggles, and Noah retorted, "Way to kill the mood, Kurt!" Kurt laughed; "All I'm saying, is please keep the volume down; I don't want to be scarred for life." Grinning evilly, he ducked into the bathroom and closed the door before Noah could throw anything at him. "Well," Rachel said, still giggling, "you heard Kurt." Noah shrugged, grinned lasciviously, stood up, and gathered Rachel in his arms. He carried her to the bedroom, where he shut the door behind them.

* * *

**Author's Notes**: "With A Little Help From My Friends" was written by John Lennon and Paul McCartney.

"The First Time Ever I Saw Your Face" was written by Ewan MacColl. Many artists have recorded it, including Elvis and Johnny Cash. Roberta Flack's is considered by many to be the definitive performance. And…all available on YouTube for your listening pleasure. ;-)


	8. Chapter 8

Chapter 8

On September 3, Rachel, Noah, and Kurt celebrated Labor Day with a picnic in Central Park. The weather was perfect, and it seemed an appropriate way of saying good-bye to summer before embarking on their college careers. They had attended freshman orientation the week prior and were eager to begin school (yes, even Noah ). Rachel and Noah, per NYU guidelines, had already registered for classes.

To Rachel's disappointment, her classes were all university requirements; as is the norm with most colleges, where degree-specific classes traditionally begin in earnest during sophomore year. She and Noah had signed up for two of their Liberal Arts College freshman prerequisites together and the third one separately, each accommodating a school-specific core course. They shared a schedule Monday, Wednesday, and Friday, whereas Tuesdays and Thursdays were attended separately. Rachel had found a dance studio not far from the apartment that offered adult classes during school hours, and had signed up for tap, which was available on Tuesday afternoon. She had then arranged her vocal lesson on Thursdays, finishing approximately the same time as Noah, enabling them to leave school together on that day, as well.

It was that first Thursday afternoon, as Rachel and Noah were walking to the subway station, when Noah's cell phone ring tone began playing "Don't Stop Believing". Rachel looked at him inquisitively, and Noah' face registered surprise as he answered the phone, "Hey, Mr. Schue! What's up?" Noah sat down on a nearby bench, and Rachel followed in suit. "You're eff'in kiddin' me…You can't be serious, Mr. Schue…Holy Shit!…Um, sorry, Mr. Schue…Of course…Yeah…Figures…Sure, I'll help!...How about next Friday? We're gonna be in Columbus for Rosh Hashanah…Yeah, she's here…" Noah turned to Rachel, who looked extremely confused. "Mr. Schue says 'Hi!'", then returned to his conversation, "She says 'Hi' back…Yeah…OK…I'll do what I can…Yeah, I'll let ya' know when we can be there…You're welcome, Mr. Schue. Tell Coach and Ms. P that I said 'Hi'"…OK, bye…Talk to ya' later…Bye."

Noah pocketed his cell phone, his face pale beneath his normal olive complexion, registering a mix of emotions. Rachel reached out and took his hand nearest her. "Noah, what's wrong? What did Mr. Schue want?" she queried, her voice laden with concern. "You're not gonna believe this, Rach. I have a brother." Rachel audibly gasped. "Well," he clarified, "technically a half-brother. Seems the 'old man' had a kid between me n' Becs." "Oh, Noah," Rachel offered, squeezing his hand, "I'm so sorry." "Kinda explains why he took off when I was four," he mused. "He was in and out, mostly out…came around after a couple years, full of apologies, and Ma took him back…" He rolled his eyes and ruefully continued, "You know the rest; when she was six months pregnant with Becs, he left for good…the fucker," he concluded disdainfully.

Rachel had moved closer to Noah and was comfortingly rubbing his back. "What did Mr. Schue tell you, Noah?" she gently asked. "Seems this kid has a healthy dose of the Puckerman 'attitude'." He chuckled ruefully. "Shue says he has a lot of natural talent, too," Noah grinned and sat up a little straighter, "and some heavy-duty anger management issues. Sound familiar?" Rachel nodded her head, agreeing, and said, "You're certainly not the 'angry young man' you were at his age, Noah," she commented. "And I have you mostly to thank for that, Baby. You help me 'keep it together'," he explained, and Rachel added "as do you for me." Rachel smiled and snuggled up against him. "We really are quite a pair, aren't we?" she teased. "We sure are," he agreed, and squeezed her closer to him.

"Anyway," Noah remarked, reverting back to the original subject, "Mr. Schue asked me to come and talk to the kid, ya' know, reach out and be a good role model…don't repeat my mistakes, or some shit like that." Noah paused reflectively. "Cantor Mike told me the best way I could thank him for helpin' me was to do the same for somebody else." Rachel commented, "And you think this is that opportunity?" "Yeah," he replied, "there are a lot of fucked up guys out there, so he's the first, but prob'ly not the last." "I'm so proud of you, Noah," Rachel declared. She faced him directly, and they kissed, then stood up and continued their walk toward the subway station.

"Rach, is Santana goin' to pick us up at the airport next week?" He asked. "Yes, she was going to drop us off at the condo complex," she answered. "I'm gonna hafta leave early; you can still get a later flight and make your classes," Noah explained. "Noah, I'll leave when you do. I don't want you to go through this alone," she volunteered. "Thanks, Rach; you're the best," he humbly replied, pulling her close and kissing her forehead. "I'll look into flights as soon as I get home," she advised. "Once we decide and purchase our tickets, I'll call Santana and see if she can pick us up and drive to Lima and back. Otherwise, we'll have to rent a car," Rachel explained.

Back at Rachel's apartment, they searched online and found a flight leaving at 7 AM and arriving in Columbus at 9; figuring time for luggage pickup, etc., they would make it to Lima around lunch time. While Noah booked the flight, including the return trip the following Tuesday afternoon, Rachel called Santana. "Hey, Berry, what's up?" Santana greeted her. "School just started, and we already have our first assignment," Rachel stated, and sighed. "Nothing like high school, that's for sure. How are you, Santana?" she asked. "It's all good here," Santana replied. "This is _definitely_ a 'party school'."

"Santana, um, actually, something kind of is 'up'," Rachel confessed. "Is everything OK," Santana worriedly responded. "Yes, we're all fine," she reassured. "It's just…" Rachel paused and looked at Noah, who nodded his approval, and she continued, "Noah just found out he has a brother." "You're fuckin' kidding me; there's _two_ of them?" Santana retorted incredulously. "Yes, Mr. Schue called earlier today. He asked Noah to stop by and meet this boy, reach out to him, you know…" Rachel explained. "Noah's come so far since he was that age; Mr. Schue thought he might be a good role model." Santana chuckled, "Who'd ever have thought 'Puck' and 'role model' would be used in the same sentence, let alone the same conversation?"

"Be that as it may," Rachel defensively replied, "we're going to come into Columbus earlier than expected, and we need to get to Lima and back." "If you can't drive us, it's OK, we understand, and…" "Who _said_ I can't drive?" Santana interjected. "'Course I can; I don't have any classes on Fridays, and I'm _dying_ to get a look at this latest 'spawn of Puckerman'." "That's very kind of you, Santana, thank you," Rachel accepted, deciding to overlook Santana's remark about Noah's new-found sibling. "Not so fast, Berry," Santana hastily replied. "We're talking about an extra five hours on the road. What's in it for me?" she queried.

"Well," Rachel paused, thinking, "we'll certainly pay for the gas," she offered. "OK, go on…" Santana encouraged. "If you'd like a home-cooked meal, you're welcome to come to dinner on Sunday at my aunt's house; it's Rosh Hashanah…you know, Jewish New Year." "That's more like it, Berry," Santana accepted. "Are you sure it'll be OK?" she tentatively inquired. "I'm sure you'll be welcome, Santana," Rachel reassured her. "I'll let my aunt know you're coming. And, by the way," Rachel cautioned, "be prepared to sing after dinner. It's kind of a family tradition." Santana rolled her eyes, which, of course Rachel couldn't see. "For a Sunday night dinner that doesn't include pizza or fast food, I'd sing the phone book," Santana confirmed. "That's wonderful Santana; thank you!" Rachel replied. "I'll send you an email with our flight information." "You're welcome, Rachel," Santana replied. "Take good care of ol' Puck for me…I'm sure he's takin' care of you, in more ways than one," she slyly retorted, ending the conversation.

Rachel blushed as she put down her cell phone, and Noah looked at her quizzically, asking, "What?" Rachel opted not to fill him in on Santana's parting remarks, and, regaining her composure, explained, "Santana said she'd pick us up and take us to and from Lima. I told her we'd pay for gas, and I'm inviting her to Auntie Sophie's for dinner on Erev Rosh Hashanah." Noah grinned. "That oughta be interesting," he commented. "Don't worry, she'll be on her best behavior," Rachel reassured him. "Now that's settled, lets get to our homework," Rachel redirected. "We've got a paper due next Wednesday." Continuing the study sessions they had established in high school, Rachel and Noah regrouped and began to tackle their assignments.

* * *

**Author's Note**: Jewish holidays always start at sunset prior to the holiday. "Erev" means evening, so "Erev Rosh Hashanah" would be the evening before the first full day of Rosh Hashanah.


	9. Chapter 9

Chapter 9

Kurt walked into his apartment late Friday afternoon to find Noah watching TV and Rachel in her bedroom, apparently getting dressed to go to the Rosens' for Shabbat dinner. He grabbed a protein bar and a bottle of water from the kitchen and joined Noah on the sofa. Rachel entered the room as he was finishing his snack, and he hastily swallowed the last bite, finishing with a healthy swig of water. "You guys, this is _so cool_," he gushed. "What is?" asked Rachel, as Noah looked at Kurt, his face a mixture of curiosity and amusement.

"I was talking to some of the kids in my Freshman Lit. class; apparently, there's this club 'Callbacks' downtown where a lot of the Arts students hang out on the weekends." He took a breath and continued, "They have both Karaoke and 'straight' performances, and they cater to an under-21 crowd, so they're very strict about serving liquor to minors." Noah rolled his eyes at that remark; aside from an occasional beer over the summer, he had consumed no alcohol in a very long time. The desire to maintain his scholarship and stay out of trouble had outweighed his desire to use his (one of several) fake IDs and purchase a bottle of Jack Daniel's or a six-pack of beer.

"Oh, Noah, that sounds _wonderful_," Rachel gushed. "We haven't done anything fun like that in a long time." Noah grinned slyly and raised one eyebrow, remarking, "Well, I thought what we did this afternoon while Beyonce' over here," he nodded his head in Kurt's direction, "was at school was a whole lot a' fun…" Rachel blushed crimson and Kurt teasingly placed his hands over his ears and remarked "Oh, my ears, my ears! That is _way_ too much information!" Rachel cleared her throat, recovering her composure, and said, "Yes, very true…but we haven't been to a club since we've been here." She looked pleadingly at Noah and asked, "Please, Noah, I really want to go…" Although it sounded to Noah like it might be fun, he acted as though it was a major concession on his part. "All right, Rach. You two've twisted my arm; we'll go tomorrow night."

Rachel immediately kissed Noah to thank him, and Kurt stated, "Awesome. I told some of the guys from school that I'd meet them there around eight. You're welcome to join us," Kurt invited. "That guy in your house…Ben, the dancer," Kurt mentioned, "he's kinda cute. You might ask him, too…" he suggested. Noah chuckled, and replied "Sorry to disappoint you, Kurt, but he has a girlfriend. However," Noah paused and winked at Rachel, "Dave, the pre-med, is gay." "Just think," Rachel teased, "bringing home a Jewish doctor…every parent's dream." The three laughed, and then Kurt sighed, "I miss Blaine. We talk every few days, but it's just not the same." "Oh, well," he said philosophically, "now is my time to see who's out there, so tomorrow will be a step in that direction."

"I have some news, myself," Rachel announced. "NYU will be putting on Rogers' and Hammerstein's 'Cinderella' for our fall production this year." "And I presume you will be trying out for the lead," Kurt commented. "Of course, Kurt, why not?" she defensively inquired. "I imagine it'll be a good experience for you, anyway," he mused. "What's _that_ supposed to mean, Kurt?" Rachel testily responded. "Face it, Rachel; you're a freshman. All I'm saying is do it for the experience, and whatever happens, happens." Rachel pouted, "I'll show you, Kurt Hummel; I'll be in that play, and I'll be the lead." Noah knew better than to offer his opinion, especially since he agreed with Kurt, and kept silent, his arm about Rachel's shoulders, playing with a lock of her hair as they sat on the sofa. "What do you think, Noah?" Rachel sweetly asked. "I'm sure you'll knock 'em dead, Rach," he complemented. He knew she would; he also was fairly confident that she wouldn't nab the main role, regardless of her performance, but that he kept to himself.

* * *

Saturday evening found Rachel, Noah and Kurt walking toward Callbacks. Two of Noah's housemates, Ben and Dave, along with Ben's girlfriend, Candace, had decided to join them. Rachel was grinning from ear to ear, holding tight to Puck's hand, and hoping she'd have an opportunity to sing for an audience.

The club was packed and definitely catered to an under-21 crowd; although there were patrons who appeared to be older, the median age range hovered around 20. There were a number of people queued up to register for performing, either with the Karaoke machine or on their own. Kurt waived to the Pace students he had met, and as they approached, introductions were made all around.

Noah became aware that Rachel, in her short, figure forming dress, was being eyed eagerly by several young men, and he put his arm protectively around her. She moved closer and looked up at him as if there were no others present, hitting him at once that she was oblivious to their attention. "Noah, I'm going to sign us up to sing," she stated. "OK, he replied, and then offered "is there somethin' you'd like to drink?" "I'd love some sparkling water, thank you, Noah," she answered. He left to get their drinks, and Rachel joined the queue to sign up.

She felt a presence behind her, and turned around to find a tall, handsome young man smiling at her admiringly. She returned a friendly smile. "Are you new in town?" he inquired. "Name's Brody Weston. I'm a senior at NYADA." "Nice to meet you, Brody. I'm Rachel Berry," she replied, "and I'm a freshman at NYU." "Tisch?" he asked. "Yes," she confirmed. "Is a pretty lady like you here all alone?" he slyly inquired. Rachel internally laughed at his corniness, although remained calm and answered, "No, I'm here with my boyfriend and some mutual friends." At that moment, Noah approached, in full possessive mode. "Here's your drink, Babe," he said, handing her the water, and then wrapping his arm around her waist and leaning in for a kiss, which she gladly reciprocated. Rachel instinctively reacted to his touch and snuggled in closely. "Hey," he said to Brody, warily, and motioned to shake hands. "I'm Noah Puckerman, Rachel's _boyfriend_. And you are?" "Brody Weston," he replied, exchanging the handshake. Brody was about to speak when an attractive, albeit tipsy thirty-something woman slithered up.

"Well, hello, Brody!" she loudly interjected. "Who's your hunky friend? _I'm_ Cassandra July," she stated, turning to Noah, as if he ought to know who she was (he didn't). She smiled seductively, looking at him as if he was a delectable piece of man-candy and she had a yen for some 'sugar'. Noah had dealt with enough cougars in his day and was having none of this one. "Name's Noah Puckerman; this is my girlfriend, Rachel Berry." "Hello, Ms. July," Rachel said, respectfully (Rachel knew of Cassandra July, whose brief Broadway career was aborted due to minimal impulse control and too much alcohol). Cassandra looked at Rachel incredulously and blurted out "You're dating _this schnozz_? When you get tired of little Miss _Schwimmer_ over here, and I'm _sure_ you will, give me a call." She handed Noah a card, presumably with her phone number, and looked at him salaciously. "Thanks, but no thanks, ma'am," Noah replied, returning the card to her. "Oh, no, I insist; _keep_ _it_," she refused. She glared at Rachel, then looked at Puck and said, "Just in case you need it… C'mon, Brodster, let's get going." She grabbed Brody's arm, effectively pulling him away. He looked apologetically at the couple as he was dragged off into the night. Once they were well out of sight, Noah tore the card in two and tossed it on the closest table. He looked at Rachel squarely in the eyes and said, "Don't let what that bitch said bother you; you're beautiful, Rachel."

Rachel thanked Noah with a kiss, and they meandered through the room, making their way to Kurt and the others. "OMG, Rachel, was that really 'Crazy Cassie' July?" Kurt exclaimed. "Yes that was," Rachel answered, "well on her way to drunkenness. You realize she teaches at NYADA?" "Yes, I heard that," Kurt commented. "It's instructors with dubious backgrounds like hers that turned me off on NYADA," Rachel explained. "Meeting her reinforces that I made the right decision to attend NYU." "And me bein' there doesn't hurt, either," Noah teased. "Not at all, Noah," Rachel tenderly agreed.

Shortly thereafter, Rachel's and Noah's names were called. She took his hand and led him up on the small stage, and she noticed him pull out some folded papers from his pocket. "What's that, Noah?" she curiously inquired. "A song for us, Rach," he replied, winking at her. "What did you pick, Noah?" she asked. Noah teased, "You'll know as soon as I play a few bars…" Noah sat down at the piano that was on the platform and began to play the introduction to "Evergreen", by Barbra Streisand and Paul Williams. Rachel gasped happily and began to sing, Noah harmonizing with her (much as Kris Kristofferson did in "A Star Is Born") in some sections, and letting her solo in others, their eyes locked throughout. They finished to thunderous applause, Rachel beaming at the audience, and then at Noah. She had never been happier to share the spotlight.

After they had left the stage to make way for the next performer, Rachel inquired, "Noah, whatever possessed you to select that song? It was perfect." "I remember you once asked Schue to consider it for Glee, and he basically ignored you, as usual," he recalled, "so I figured it was about time for ya' to sing it in front of an audience." "Thank you, Noah, it was wonderful," she softly commented. "Anything for you, Baby," he avowed. Arms tightly circling their waists, they rejoined their party, basking in the glow of a great performance, and in each other's company.


	10. Chapter 10

Chapter 10

The following Friday, Rachel and Noah awoke at 4 AM in order to arrive at the airport on time. They hurriedly dressed, left a good-bye note for Kurt, who was still asleep, and left the apartment, bag and baggage, by 4:30. Rachel had painstakingly mapped out the fastest route (by bus and subway), and her careful planning enabled them to arrive at LaGuardia airport shortly before 6 AM, allowing an hour for check-in and boarding.

As they were waiting in the airport, sipping coffee, Noah was looking up something on his laptop, scribbling down notes and snickering much like a young boy seeing a picture of a bare-chested woman in a "National Geographic" magazine. His behavior piqued Rachel's curiosity, who commented, "Noah, what's so funny?" "Nothin'…" he said, choking back laughter, "well…I figured I'd better look up some dirty phrases in Hebrew." Rachel was surprised, to say the least. "Whatever for, Noah? To impress our families?" she asked incredulously. "Nah," he retorted, smirking, "Santana's gonna ask me to say something in Hebrew, and I could tell her 'good morning; have a nice day', and she would assume I was sayin' somethin' like 'fuck you, whore'…" Rachel audibly gasped, and he continued, "So I figured I might as well learn a few phrases that actually mean what she expects." Rachel thought to herself "_Really mature, Noah_", but rather than admonish him, she replied "Oh," while in process of stifling a yawn.

Rachel and Noah slept the majority of the flight, and were awakened shortly before they landed in Columbus. "Seems like a lifetime since we were here," Noah mused, while Rachel countered, "Yes, but it seems like a heartbeat, too." As they were waiting at the baggage claim area to pick up their luggage, Rachel was grabbed from behind in a tight hug. "Well, if it isn't 'Jewish Barbie and Ken'!" Santana exclaimed. Rachel turned around and gave her a proper embrace. "Santana, it's great to see you! Thanks again for doing this," she acknowledged. As they broke contact, Noah smirked and said "Hey, there, 'Satan'," high-fiving her in the process.

As they were walking toward the car, Santana asked, "When did you leave this morning?" "We left Rach's around 4:30," Noah confessed. "You must be starving," Santana observed. "We'll stop and pick up something for the ride," she suggested. "Oh, San, that would be great," Rachel agreed. "You heard her, Santana," Noah teased. "Gotta feed my woman." Rachel giggled and rolled her eyes, but she was too weary from traveling to retort. After depositing their baggage in the trunk and themselves in the car, the three friends stopped off at a nearby Panera for sustenance, and then "hit the road" for their drive back to Lima.

"Hey, , what're you takin' this semester?" Santana queried. "Three NYU freshman core courses, two with Rachel, and 'Hebrew 101'," he answered. "OK, say something in Hebrew, and I'll guess what it is," Santana challenged as she drove down the highway. "_Lech zayen para_," he stated. "What's that mean; go fuck yourself?" she guessed. Noah chuckled, replying, "Close; it means go fuck a cow." "Pretty cool, Puck," Santana sarcastically replied. "Looked that one up on the Internet, did ya'?" "This is a fine discussion for three college students," Rachel laughingly admonished. "Oh, please, Berry, you _love_ it when I talk dirty," Noah teased. "Since when, Puckerman?" she countered. "Remember last Friday, when Kurt was at class…" he slyly reminded her. Rachel blushed deeply, and Santana observed, "Whoa, who knew; 'little miss last to give up her V-card' has a kinky side. Way to go, Puck!" "I do bring out the best in a woman," he retorted, chuckling.

Eventually, the conversation moved away from topics of a prurient nature and the friends began comparing notes on freshman orientation, living arrangements, and course loads. Time flew by, and before they knew it, Santana was parking her car in the visitor lot at William McKinley High School. "This is surreal," Rachel commented as they entered the building. "This is the last place I thought I would be visiting, especially so soon." They first stopped at the office to obtain visitor passes, and then moved on to Ms. Pillsbury's office, where Mr. Scheuster had told Noah he would be waiting for them.

Will was genuinely happy to see his three former pupils. They exchanged hugs, and he commented, "It's certainly great to see all of you, but I only expected Puck." "I'm here for moral support," Rachel commented, taking Noah's hand and squeezing it gently. "And _I'm_ here for _immoral_ support," Santana joked, preening herself in mock-vanity. Smiling and shaking his head in response to Santana's remark, Will suggested that the girls go down to the cafeteria, where he was confident their former glee club teammates would be at lunch. As Rachel and Santana headed toward the lunch room, Will and Noah walked toward his office, where he had asked Noah's half-brother to wait.

As the two men approached Will's office, Noah noticed a boy through the glass panel, standing uncomfortably inside. He appeared to be about 15, tall, apparently biracial, and very nice looking. "_Well_," he thought, "_the old man may be a lousy bastard, but he made some good-lookin' kids_." They entered the office together, and Will spoke. "Jake, I have somebody I'd like you to meet. This is Noah Puckerman, one of my former students." Will turned to Noah; "Puck, this is Jake Puckerman." Noah extended his hand, and Jake reluctantly shook hands. "I'll leave you two to get acquainted and be back in a few minutes."

Will exited the room, leaving the two boys alone. Jake was the first to speak. "Why're _you_ here?" he asked belligerently. Noah took a deep breath before responding. "Mr. Schue called me last week and told me that I have a brother. He asked me…" Noah paused, and then restarted, "Listen, I was a real asshole in high school, 'specially the first couple 'a years." He noticed that the kid was actually listening and continued. "I was a bully and a man-whore. I used to toss kids in dumpsters and throw slushies at people, and I might as well have considered detention a class 'cause I spent so much time there." He smiled ruefully at the recollection.

"I got my best friend's girlfriend knocked up sophomore year, and after she gave the baby away, I drove my mom's car into a convenience store tryin' to steal an ATM. Spent three months in Juvie." The kid, Jake, was by now hanging onto every word, although trying hard to appear nonchalant. "I was very lucky," he said earnestly. "I had some good people in my corner and was able to do a 180 with my life. I'm a freshman at NYU on a full scholarship, and some day, I'm gonna be a cantor in a synagogue." Jake's face registered surprise at that last remark; even without the Mohawk, Noah still looked more like a rocker than a member of the clergy.

"Any way, long story short, Mr. Schue saw you actin' out, tossin' around some chairs or somethin', and he was worried you might end up down the same path as me." Jake's face registered both anger and embarrassment, recalling his failed glee club audition. "Mr. Schue's a good guy, even if he likes 80's 'power ballads' a little too much for my taste." Noah chuckled, and the remark seemed to diffuse Jake's hostility a bit. "Look," Noah continued, "I don't have all the answers, but if you ever need somebody to talk to, I'm as close as your phone. Sorry I took over the conversation…well, more like dialogue." He smiled, and mused, "Guess my girlfriend's havin' an influence on me; when she gets talking, she keeps on goin', and goin', like the Energizer bunny." Both boys laughed at Noah's last remark, and Jake asked, "So, what do I call you? Mr. Schue called you 'Puck'." "'Round here, they'll probably always call me 'Puck', but Noah's good, too," he advised. "These days, I answer to both, so, whatever works for you is OK by me."

Noah looked at Jake expectantly, as if he might have another question, but none was immediately forthcoming. "I have to tell ya' I was pretty shocked when Schue told me I have a brother, but I'm really cool with it; always wished I had a brother, and now I do." He smiled hesitantly, but still received no response. "I…that is, we have a little sister, Rebecca. She's almost 12, in middle school; she can be a big pain in the ass, but she's pretty cool, as sisters go, I guess."

"What's he like?" Jake suddenly blurted out. "Who?" Noah asked. "Our father," Jake clarified. "Piece 'a shit asshole, that's what," Noah contemptuously answered. "Came in and out 'a the house like a yo-yo, and left Ma high and dry when she was six months pregnant with Becs. Didn't see him but once in 10 years, and then he finds me last spring and hits me up for money. _That's_ what he's like," Noah concluded. "Is there family, maybe grandparents?" Jake inquired hopefully. "Sorry, no, our grandparents are dead," he sadly replied. "Got an aunt and some cousins in Toledo, but I can't remember the last time I saw them." Noah looked at Jake inquisitively. "Any other half-siblings I should know about?" he asked. "No, just me and my mom," he responded.

Noah didn't know whether to feel relieved or not, as he suddenly realized that he wasn't adverse to the prospect of additional brothers or sisters. Knowing his dad had "sown his seed" indiscriminately wasn't exactly the best feeling in the world, but this kid seemed pretty cool. "Tell ya' what, Jake; come Thanksgiving, I'll bring ya' over to the house and you can meet your sister. I'd do it today, but Ma's pickin' up Becs after school and driving straight to Columbus for Rosh Hashanah, so they won't be home. 'Sides…" he cautioned, "I've gotta break the news to Ma, kinda ease her into the idea…ya' know…" He looked at Jake and reassured, "No reflection on you, ya' know, just, well…our dad…Hell, for all we know, there are more of us out there somewhere." Both boys laughed, breaking the tension.

"Come on, bro" Noah motioned, grinning at the sound of that, "let's hit the lunch room and hang with the gleeks. They're a good bunch a' kids…really saved my life, 'specially Artie and Sam, and, of course, Rachel." He looked at Jake decidedly, stating, "Give the Glee Club another chance. It's not as lame as it sounds." He paused and grinned. "Hell, if a B-A-M-F like me can do it, then so can you!" They exited the office, and Noah requested, "gimme your phone for a sec'". Jake obliged, and Noah programmed it with his cell phone number. "Any time you wanna talk, just call," he confirmed, handing the phone back as they walked the familiar corridor toward the high school cafeteria.

Noah and Jake entered the room to find Rachel and Santana holding court as their high school friends questioned them about college life. Rachel was delicately sipping a grape slushy, which she offered up to Noah as the comforting feeling of his hand on her back announced his presence. Brittany jumped up from her seat, embracing Noah, who began greeting his old friends after she had released him and returned to her seat between Santana and Sam. "Rachel, Santana, guys…" he looked at Jake and continued, "This is my brother, Jake." Santana smirked admirably; she may have embraced her Sapphic side, but she still appreciated a good looking young man when she saw one. "What'll we call you; 'Puck lite'?" she teased. Jake, realizing that she was, in fact, only joking, answered, "Jake'll do, thanks."

Noah noticed unfamiliar faces, and looked questioningly at Rachel. "Oh, Noah, sorry…you remember Wade Adams from Nationals?" "Oh, yeah," he mused, "the guy in the dress," to which Wade smiled shyly. "And this is Marley Rose, another of the new club members," she introduced them. Marley said "Hi"; Noah smiled at her and nodded, then sat down next to Rachel, handing her back the slushy and resting his hand gently on her thigh. Jake took the last available seat, next to Marley, and she smiled demurely at him. Jake returned the gesture and sat quietly, observing the interactions of the group, and deciding whether or not to give the club another chance. If this cute girl was part of it, maybe it might be worth joining, after all.

"Rachel," Tina began, "we're already talking about a fall musical. 'Grease' sounds like a definite possibility." She looked at Rachel hopefully. "Do you think you'll be able to come back for a performance?" "Oh, Tina, I'd love to," Rachel honestly replied, "but unless it's during Thanksgiving break, I'm afraid I'll have to regretfully decline." Rachel sighed lightly. "Aside from keeping up with our studies, it's expensive, and we simply can't afford to fly back and forth very often." Rachel paused, looked around at her friends, realization reflected in their faces. "We love being here and visiting, but it's not feasible to do frequently," she confessed. "Please send me a DVD, Tina; I know it's not the same as being here; unfortunately, it'll have to do."

"Ya' know what," Sam observed, "we haven't sung with these three since last June. How about a song before we head back to class?" "Sounds great," Noah agreed, "and I know just the one…" He faced Rachel and began singing "Lean on Me" to her. She smiled sweetly and joined in at the second line, Santana soon following, then Artie, and the whole group (including Jake, surprisingly enough) was singing in harmony by the third verse and clapping to the beat. They ended together, cheering and high-fiving each other.

"Mr. Schue mentioned that there's some show choir invitational in New York City later in the fall," Artie offered. "If we go, maybe we can all meet up." "That would be wonderful, Artie," Rachel replied, and Noah nodded his head in agreement. "Please keep us in the loop if it happens," she requested, "and we'll figure something out." The warning bell rang, indicating that the high schoolers needed to return for afternoon classes. There were hugs, handshakes, and high-fives exchanged, and the room quickly emptied out, leaving Rachel, Noah, and Santana in a now silent cafeteria.

The silence was abruptly interrupted by Noah's cell phone ringtone "Don't Stop Believing". Santana covered her mouth to hide her laughter when Noah answered, "Hi, Mr. Schue!...Yeah, I talked to him…Yeah, seems like a good kid…I think he'll come around…He has my number…Sure, Mr. Schue…Yeah, I will…Thanks, I'll tell her…See ya, Mr. Schue." Noah disconnected from the call and returned the phone to his pocket. "Mr. Schue says 'thank you' to both of ya' for helpin' today, and he wished us a 'Happy New Year', Rach," Noah explained. "Come on, let's get outta here," he said, glancing around the room. "I'm startin' to feel like an old creeper, hangin' around the high school like this." The three friends, much like Elvis, left the building shortly thereafter, for their journey back to Columbus.

* * *

**Author's Notes**: "Lean on Me" was written (words and music) by Bill Withers.

One of the most ridiculous (re)occurrences on Glee in season four (IMHO, anyway) was the apparently effortless ability to travel back and forth from anywhere in the country with no consideration for time (flight time, which would vary, two+ hours from Columbus to Lima, etc.) or money, and no realization of how ludicrous it was to be wandering the halls as if they were still enrolled.

Reviews are always appreciated. Thanks for reading! :-)


	11. Chapter 11

Chapter 11

Santana, realizing her mother would feel hurt if she learned that her daughter had been in town and not stopped by, took Rachel and Noah on a slight detour to her home. Dr. Lopez was, of course, at work, but Mrs. Lopez was present, extremely happy to see her daughter, and kind enough to feed the three friends before undertaking their return trip to Columbus.

* * *

Meanwhile…back in Brooklyn, much like in Columbus, preparations were underway for the Jewish New Year's celebration that would begin on Sunday evening. Mrs. Rosen was baking and her husband was at work when their children began arriving home from school. Her mother's preoccupation and father's absence had provided Jennifer an opportunity for some snooping. Hoping to get to the bottom of her mother's vehement protestation over her attraction to Noah, she entered her parents' office; as luck would have it, their PC was turned on, leaving their email account unprotected and available to prying eyes.

Jennifer only knew that her father's friend Mike Adler had recommended Noah as a possible tenant for the 2012/2013 school year. Scrolling through a vast inbox of largely boring communications (really, her parents were _so_ disorganized), she struck (what she hoped was) gold; an email from Cantor Michael Adler, dated approximately one year ago. Jennifer grinned smugly and double-clicked on the document to peruse the following:

_Dear Jack:_

_L'Shana Tova! Hope this finds you and yours well. May you have health, happiness, peace, and prosperity in the New Year._

_I was wondering if you still rent out that second unit to students and, if so, if you might consider a young man I've been mentoring. He's a good kid who has had a very rough few years, and I think he'd do better in a more controlled environment rather than in a dorm, where he might be more likely to slip into past bad behaviors. Let me tell you a little about him; it may help you come to a decision, hopefully a favorable one._

_His name is Noah Puckerman, although he goes by "Puck". His father ran around and was largely unavailable, leaving for good when he was seven and his mother was pregnant. By ninth grade, not only was he bullying the smaller kids, but he had become the dirty little secret of the more "desperate housewives" of Allen County, who personally reinforced his sex ed classes in lieu of a tip for cleaning their swimming pools or mowing their lawns. He spent the majority of his freshman year cutting class, chasing tail, abusing substances, and, as a result, spending an inordinate amount of time in either detention or the police station. He kept his grades up just enough to participate in sports, which he found to be a ticket to popularity and, as a result, a magnet for eager and willing teenage girls._

_His eventual salvation (although not at first) turned out to be joining the high school glee club his sophomore year, in which he was reunited with an old friend who had become his primary bullying target, Rachel Berry. She (so he told me) convinced him to sing a solo to prove his vocal ability to the group, and they had begun reestablishing their friendship when his reckless lifestyle caught up with him. He had been intimate with his best friend's girlfriend, effectively impregnating her. She considered him a "Lima Loser" and initially tried to pass of the baby as his friend's; eventually the truth came out, apparently causing a boatload of drama._

_The girl (gentile, by the way, not that it matters) decided to give the baby up for adoption. Although he pragmatically realized that he wasn't in a position to be a father, he wanted to make up for his personal parental abandonment and raise the child, a point with which the girl vehemently disagreed. Once the baby was taken by her adoptive family, he went from bad to worse, climaxing in a failed ATM robbery and a stint in Juvenile Detention early in his junior year._

_The situation was brought to my attention by LeRoy Berry, one of my congregants as well as Rachel's father. Noah's grandfather was a mentor to me when I was 16 and (for reasons which you are well aware) was of a similar misguided mindset. I knew that I needed to reach out to him. Around that time, Rachel became his lifeline, visiting weekly when most of his friends had turned away, and keeping him up to date with his classes. After his release, she scheduled study sessions with a couple of their friends, and her unwavering belief in him eventually enabled him to believe in himself._

_Long story short (well, pretty long by this point), he pulled up his grades in stellar fashion, completed his community service while holding down a job, and became a huge asset at the Temple. We were discussing college options the other day, and when I suggested our profession, he expressed a genuine interest. I have a friend at NYU (maybe you know Phil Wasserman?) who I hope will be able to help him obtain a scholarship. Between you and me, I think the idea of New York appeals to him because Rachel plans on attending college there, as well. From what I have observed at Friday night services, they seem to be growing closer with each passing week._

_I realize that this boy sounds like a heap of trouble and, with your four kids, you might be reluctant to have him around. I will personally vouch for him; he has turned over a new leaf and is well on the way to becoming a man of whom his grandfather (who was also a cantor, by the way) would be extremely proud. I believe that being in an environment like yours, rather than in the heart of the University district, will help keep him away from temptation and enable him to continue moving forward rather than potentially regressing._

_Please let me know if this will be an agreeable arrangement for you. If you have any questions, don't hesitate to call._

_Again, a happy, healthy, and prosperous New Year to you and yours._

_Shalom Aleichem,_

_Mike_

Jennifer was elated; she had accomplished her goal, and now realized why her mother considered Puck "too old" for her. However, in her opinion, he sounded just about perfect…to teach her about life and take her virginity in the process. The boys at school were all arms and legs and roving hands, with bad complexions and one-track minds. She didn't enjoy kissing them, let alone doing "more". Cheerleader or not, the popular boys still didn't give her the time of day, and she was determined to become a woman under his tutelage. All she needed was a plan, and she was confident she would devise one before too long.

* * *

**Author's Notes**: "L'Shana Tova" is Hebrew for "Happy New Year". "Shalom Aleichem" means "peace be with you", also in Hebrew.

So…what do you think will happen? Do you think she'll come up with a viable plan? Do you think she will succeed?


	12. Chapter 12

Chapter 12

Santana dropped off Rachel and Noah at their grandparents' condo complex around 4 PM, begging off meeting Rachel's Bubbe and Zadie until Sunday so she could return to her dorm and clean up before dinner. After walking Rachel to her grandparents', saying hello, and dropping off her bags in the bedroom she used when she visited, he headed for his Nana's residence, where he knew he would eventually have to inform his family about their new "addition to the family".

Rachel's Bubbe was full of questions, but one look at her granddaughter's tired expression caused her to reconsider and temper her curiosity for the moment. "Rachel, dear, why don't you rest for an hour or so," she said, her voice calming to a thoroughly drained Rachel. "Thanks, Bubbe; good idea," Rachel agreed, stifling a yawn. She entered the bedroom, kicked off her shoes, and climbed onto the bed, not even bothering to undress as she fell asleep shortly after her head touched the pillow.

At his Nana's condo, Noah used his key to enter. Nana Connie, who was reading a magazine, looked up. "Hello? Who is it?" she queried, as she walked toward the door, finding Noah putting down his duffle bag. "Noah, bubbeleh!" she exclaimed, "How are you? How is New York? How is…" "Calm down, Nana," Noah teased as he kissed his grandmother on the cheek. "I'm fine, Rachel's fine, Kurt's fine, New York is fine; we're _all_ fine," he concluded, chuckling at his excited Nana. "It's so good to see you dear. How was your flight?" she inquired. "We slept through most of it, Nana," he confided. "It was a long time ago, already. We've had a busy day, actually," he admitted to a confused Connie.

"I thought you were flying in after your classes, Noah. What changed?" she concernedly asked. "Well…" he said, wondering how he would explain the situation, "we had to go to Lima, first, Nana." "That's two hours each way, Noah," Nana Connie stated. "What was so important for you to cut classes and travel all that way?" Noah sat on the sofa, and his grandmother settled down in the chair facing him. "Ya' see, Nana; Mr. Schue called a couple of weeks ago." He paused, and looked directly at her. "Seems Becs and I have a brother…well, a half-brother, anyway." His Nana looked none too surprised by this revelation. "Wait, Nana…you _knew_?" he incredulously asked. "Only for a few days, dear," she calmly answered.

"Apparently, your mother got a call from the school the other day about a Puckerman boy who had gotten into trouble. They didn't even look up his contact information and automatically assumed he was your brother." She looked at him sternly. "I wouldn't be a bit surprised if that school has your mother's number on speed dial, considering how often she was called over the years." Noah tried hard not to laugh at his Nana's observation; after all, he had spent a good bit of his high school career involved in some type of altercation, and it often felt like Ms. Pillsbury had a special hot line that went directly to his mother's cell phone.

"As I was sayin'," Noah interjected, "Mr. Schue called and asked if I would come in and talk to this kid; ya' know, straighten him out before he ended up like I was at his age." His Nana sighed. "Only one mother should have to go through that," she teased. "So, nu, tell me…what was he like?" "First off, I hafta say that our dad may be a prick, but he did make some good-lookin' kids." He gave his grandmother a cheesy grin and waggled his eyebrows. "OK, so he's nice looking, what else," she encouraged. "He's around 14 or 15, I'm not really sure. Shue said he was very talented. He also said that some of the kids antagonize him…call him things like 'Kosher Cappuccino' because he's half-Jewish and biracial." He looked at his grandmother to gauge her reaction, although finding her, as usual, inscrutable. He briefly reflected on her expression, thinking that she had missed her calling as a professional gambler, because she was usually impossible to read.

Noah continued; "He seemed like a nice kid; kinda hostile at first, but he chilled after a while." "So, bubbeleh, what did you two talk about?" she inquired. "Well, mostly I did the talking. Guess Rachel's rubbing off on me, ya' know, how sometimes she starts and just keeps goin'?" He grinned at his remark, and his grandmother smiled, both at the apt description as well as of the obvious affection he felt for Rachel. "I described some of the shit…I mean stuff that I got into, including juvie… ya' know, like, don't make the same mistakes I did. I told him that I was able to turn things around, and that joining the glee club would be a good idea. Then, I gave him my number and told him to call me any time."

Connie was extremely proud of her grandson. He had reached out to help someone and accepted a virtual stranger as family without a second thought. "You did a very good thing, Noah; you are a _ganse mensch_," she complimented. "Thanks, Nana," he replied, but all I really feel now is tired. Mind if I take a nap?" "Of course not, dear," she acknowledged. "Don't sleep too long; we're going out for an early dinner once your mother and sister arrive." Noah excused himself and headed for the guest room, where he, too fell asleep almost immediately.

* * *

**Author's Note**: A "ganse mensch" is a good, kind, etc. human being. "Ganse" means whole or complete and "mensch" is a person. So…this means that he is a "whole person"…as usual, not easy to translate, but a compliment, nevertheless.


	13. Chapter 13

Chapter 13

Since Rachel's Aunt Sophie lived near the OSU campus, LeRoy picked up Santana from her dorm shortly before six on Sunday evening. Once she was in the car, Rachel introduced her to her grandparents, and she wished everybody a "Happy New Year". They arrived at Rachel's Aunt's home within a few minutes, parked the car in the driveway, and entered the house laden with gifts: Rachel's Bubbe had baked a honey cake, Rachel had (with a little coaching) made a sweet noodle kugel, Hiram and LeRoy brought wine, and Santana had purchased a mixed floral bouquet. There were hugs and kisses for family members and Santana was warmly greeted and thanked for her flowers. As Esther (Rachel's Bubbe) and Rachel entered the kitchen to drop off their food, Rachel's Daddy (Hiram) introduced Santana to his sister's family: Sophie Lieberman, her husband Max Friedman, their son, Jason, a senior at Northwestern University, their daughter and son-in-law Karen and Steve Goodman, and their children, 2 ½ year old Jeremy and baby Madison, now five months old.

Rachel had not seen her family since early in the summer and marveled over how much the baby had grown. Karen offered little Madison to Rachel, who gladly held her as everybody made small talk. The Puckermans arrived shortly thereafter, bearing a round challa that Nana Connie had baked earlier in the day and more flowers. Upon entering the living room, Noah's eyes fell on Rachel feeding the baby her bottle, and his heart cartwheeled in his chest, his face a mixture of awe and longing. He recovered quickly, but not quickly enough for his mother and Sophie to have noticed the expression that flashed so briefly across his face. Rachel's aunt moved close to Mrs. Puckerman and whispered in her ear "Well, Deb, it looks like we'll be planning a bridal shower sooner or later. Mazel Tov." Debbie laughed and whispered back, "I'm sure our mothers already have the wedding planned and a list of baby names, too. Just let them finish college, first."

After the bottle was consumed, Rachel handed the baby back to her mother, and as dinner time drew near, she and Santana entered the kitchen to offer their services. Santana noticed the bread, still unsliced on a cutting board. "Rach, what's that?" Santana asked, nodding her head in the direction of to the bread. "That's bread, San," Rachel teased. Santana rolled her eyes. "I _get_ that it's bread, Berry," she said, sardonically. "I guess I should ask what kind of bread it is." "That's a challa bread, Santana. It's made with egg yolks, and it's really good, especially Nana Connie's." "But why is it round, instead of a loaf?" asked a still-confused Santana.

"On Rosh Hashanah we traditionally serve round things, because a circle is continuous; it has no beginning and no end, whereas a square has corners that could be construed as beginning or ending points." Santana's face continued to register bewilderment, so Rachel clarified further: "The continuity of a circle represents what we hope will be the continuity of life for another year, and the bread is smooth, so we should have a smooth year, that is, without strife." "That's different, Rach," Santana acknowledged, smiling. "All we do for 'regular' New Year's is make resolutions that nobody keeps and nurse hangovers from New Year's Eve. I guess traditional 'foods' would be aspirins and Gatorade," she said, chuckling.

Rachel's aunt ushered everybody into the dining room where they were seated at the table. Rachel's Uncle Max said a blessing over the wine and another over the challa, after which he sliced it. He said a blessing for the apples, and a platter of apples with a shallow bowl of honey was passed around. Each person dipped a slice of apple in the honey and ate it. After the treat had circulated around the table, he said "May it be Your will, Lord our G-d and G-d of our Ancestors, that You renew for us a good and sweet year," to which everybody replied "Amen" (**A.N.**: pronounced Ahh-main or Aww-main, not A-men).

Sophie, Debbie, and Rachel's Bubbe excused themselves from the table to begin serving dinner. LeRoy left to join them, and before Rachel could also excuse herself, Santana whispered in her ear, "Rachel, what was with the apples and honey?" Rachel whispered back, "We eat sweet things to celebrate Rosh Hashanah in the hope that the year will be 'sweet'. The apple is round and smooth, and the honey is sweet." Santana nodded, "Thanks," she acknowledged thoughtfully.

Chicken soup with matzo balls was served first, and Rachel excused herself from the table, entering the kitchen to assist in plating for the main course. Her aunt had saved a large portion of salad for Rachel that had been supplemented with lentils (as a protein source), and which would serve as Rachel's meatless main dish. The soup bowls and spoons were being cleared off and the salad course brought in as Rachel spooned cooked vegetables into serving bowls. She was in process of slicing kugel, placing the segments on platters, when Santana walked in carrying a stack of soup bowls, which she placed in the sink. She curiously eyed what Rachel was doing.

"What're you dishing up, Berry?" Santana asked. "This is kugel, Santana. "This one," she pointed to one plate, "is made with potatoes and vegetables; it's more savory. This one," she motioned to the other, "is made with noodles, applesauce and raisins and is sweeter." "What's 'kugel'?" Santana queried. Noah, also helping clear the table, had entered in the meantime and made a beeline for Rachel. He stood behind her, wrapping her in his arms around her waist and tenderly pulling her close, kissing her on the top of her head. "Ya' better watch out, Puckerman; she's got a knife," Santana teased.

"Noah, I was just about to explain 'kugel' to Santana," Rachel elucidated. "Kugel's delicious, San, just eat some!" he encouraged. He noticed the aroma of the warm sweet kugel. "Baby, did you make this?" he asked Rachel. "Yes, I did," she acknowledged, smiling, pleased with herself. As he was about to extricate a slice from the platter, Rachel lightly smacked the back of his hand, admonishing, "Noah, behave!" He winked at Santana and woefully said "You're killin' me, woman." Santana chuckled at their antics and interjected, "Berry, you never did tell me what it is…" "It's a starchy side dish; this potato kugel is, well...kind of 'potato-y', and the noodle kugel…I can't think of anything to compare it to; it _is_ delicious, though." "Thanks, Rach, I'll try some. I'm gonna sit down and have my salad, now." Santana left the kitchen, leaving Rachel and Noah momentarily alone, still standing together, Rachel encased in his arms.

Noah drew Rachel closer and she gently wriggled in against him. "Oh, Baby, I've missed you," he quietly moaned. "I have, too, Noah," she admitted. "It's great bein' here, but I can't wait to get ya' back to New York," he said seductively, and then kissed her neck. Rachel was tempted to turn around and give in to her baser instincts, but, fortunately, pragmatism prevailed. "Noah, Santana already warned me that if we're missing for too long, she'll hunt us down with a garden hose." Both teens laughed; Noah pulled away and, before Rachel had a chance to stop him, he snatched a piece of the noodle kugel from the platter, exclaimed "Score!", and took a large bite. "Mmm, good, Rach!" he said, grinning, his mouth full with the delectable bite. "Thanks, Noah," she laughingly replied. "Now, go on before they come in here with a rabbi and a ketubah."

As Noah reluctantly returned to the dining room, several of the adults entered with salad plates in hand, and Rachel's aunt removed the chicken and roast from the oven. She readied the entrées for serving, and the side dishes began their short trip to the table. The food was delicious and the company basked in the happiness of the New Year's celebration. Talk eventually focused on the four college students. Jason was majoring in physical therapy and was applying to Northwestern for graduate school. Everyone was pleased that Rachel and Noah seemed to be adapting well to school and life in New York. "Santana," LeRoy prompted, "have you declared a major?"

"No, Mr. B.," she replied, shaking her head. "I'm not sure what I want to do, yet. I joined a group on campus for gay and bi students and ran into a former classmate of ours there," she looked pointedly at Rachel and Noah and continued, "Dave Karofsky. He tried to commit suicide about six months ago." There were audible gasps from some of the adults who weren't familiar with the situation, while Rachel and Noah nodded their heads sadly in acknowledgement. "Listening to some of these kids got me thinking; maybe I can do something help, ya' know, make a difference. I haven't figured out the right path yet…" "Gosh, Santana, I had no idea," Rachel commented. "You'd talked about law; maybe legal advocacy?" she suggested. "Yeah, maybe…I've got a while to figure things out, anyway."

Just then, the baby woke up from her nap, crying loudly. Karen (the mom) left the table to tend to her, and dinner was apparently over, making way for dessert. The table was cleared, food put away, the dishwasher filled, and the coffee set to brew. Rachel's Bubbe was slicing the honey cake she had baked. Noah approached her and teasingly inquired, "Bubbe Ess, did you make that honey cake _for me_?" "Of course, dear," she commented, and handed him a piece. He greedily took a large bite and grinned. "Wow, this is awesome!" he avowed (after hastily swallowing). "Thank you, Noah," she replied, and kissed his cheek.

Santana bemusedly watched the interaction, raising her eyebrow at Noah. "What?" he asked, mouth full of cake. "What're you eating?" she inquired. He swallowed and answered, "Honey cake." Her expression was somewhat puzzled, so he asked "You've never heard of this, have you?" She shook her head in response, and he presented her with a small piece. "Try it," he encouraged. She took the piece and chewed it thoughtfully. "It's…different," she mused. "Good different, though," she quickly clarified. "It's a traditional New Year's dessert; ya' know, keepin' with the 'sweet year' theme and all." he commented.

Rachel approached them, and Noah immediately drew her in, his arm about her waist. Santana rolled her eyes and laughed, and the three friends entered the living room, where the grand piano resided. "Rachel's aunt addressed Santana: "Santana, I don't know if my niece mentioned it, but we have a very musical family, and we always entertain each other by singing." Rachel responded, "Actually, Auntie, we have something prepared." All eyes were on the three teenagers. "We had a long drive on Friday, and Daddy…" Hiram waived his hand, "…mentioned that you were covering Jerome Kern this semester." Sophie smiled, and Rachel continued, now teasing her boyfriend, "This is probably as close as we'll ever get to Noah singing a 'show tune'." His mother smiled slyly as Rachel introduced, "We'd like to present 'Smoke Gets In Your Eyes', as performed by The Platters in 1958." Noah seated himself on the piano bench and, after playing the introduction (using the sheet music Rachel had conveniently printed earlier that day), sang harmoniously with Rachel and Santana. Each took turns singing melody and backup vocals, (including the "Ooh-ahs"), and concluded to hearty applause.

As the others performed, Rachel relaxed against Noah as they sat together on the sofa. Although it was wonderful to spend time with her family, she was looking forward to returning to New York. She had classes to catch up on and needed to practice in earnest if she was going to snag her first starring role in her first college play. She would show Kurt, all right; who said that a freshman can't play the lead their first time out. After all, she was "Maria" in her senior musical, and she was nothing if not confident in her talent. Her mind eventually refocused on her surroundings, in time to listen to her aunt sing "Yesterdays", another Kern song. "That was beautiful, Auntie!" Rachel complimented Sophie, and then stood up to hug her.

"Do you two have a minute?" she asked Rachel and Noah. "Of course, Auntie," Rachel said, and they followed her into the foyer, away from the others. Sophie looked at both teens, concern written on her face. "Shirley…that is, Shelby, contacted me about a month ago," she stated. Both teens said nothing; Noah's arm tightened around Rachel. "First time in _years_," she emphasized. "She's looking for job references. Apparently, she's been interviewing all over…including New York." Rachel paled; Noah didn't know what to think. On one hand, he might have a chance to see his daughter; on the other, he wanted little to do with Shelby and her skewed perception of relationships. "Look," Sophie reassured, "even if she does find employment in New York, it's a big place, after all. I just wanted to give you a heads-up." "Thanks, Auntie," Rachel replied. "If she does get a job in New York, maybe Noah will get to see Beth." "Don't worry, Baby," Noah reassured her. "Whatever happens, we're in this together." Rachel gave a small sigh of relief and Noah kissed her on the temple. Her aunt smiled to herself, remembering the comment she had made to Mrs. Puckerman earlier in the evening.

Too soon everybody was taking their leave, and thanking their hosts for their lovely evening. Santana was dropped off at her dorm, ready to face classes the next day. "Talk to you soon, Berry," she remarked as she exited the car. She waived goodbye, and, after she entered the dormitory, LeRoy started up the car and headed back to the condo.

* * *

**Author's Notes**: Sorry if this ran a little long. For additional insight into the characters, as well as casting suggestions, please refer to "Why Is This Night Different?"

A ketubah is a traditional Jewish "marriage contract" that outlines the responsibilities or obligations that a groom has toward to his bride. It is primarily a ceremonial rather than a legally binding document and is often elaborately decorated.

"Smoke Gets In Your Eyes" and "Yesterdays" are both from the musical "Roberta", music by Jerome Kern and lyrics by Otto Harbach.


	14. Chapter 14

Chapter 14

Rosh Hashanah sped by seemingly at light speed. They attended services at the synagogue where Noah's grandfather had served as cantor, and he was honored (along with his Nana) with an Aliya. Monday night's dinner was at his Aunt Audrey's house, and everybody had a lovely time (minus the singing, of course, which is a Lieberman/Berry family "thing"). Tuesday services were over by noon, and, by 1:30 they were on their way to Port Columbus International Airport for their 3:00 flight back to LaGuardia, life in Brooklyn, and classes at NYU.

After heartfelt and tearful (Rachel, Debbie, Hiram, and LeRoy) goodbyes, the parents (and Rebecca, who insisted on coming along) returned to LeRoy's car for the trip back to the condo complex, and their eventual (separate) return trips to Lima for work and school on Wednesday.

Aside from Rachel's tactful refusal to join the "mile high club", the plane ride was uneventful, and one bus ride and subway trip later, they were back in Rachel's apartment by 8 PM. Once they put down their luggage, Noah made a detour at the bathroom, and Rachel entered the kitchen to see if there was something she could put together easily for dinner. Taped to the refrigerator was a note from Kurt:

_Dear Rachel and Puck:_

_Happy New Year! I hope you had a good time with your families and I look forward to hearing about your visit to Lima. I'm working on a project with some of my classmates and opted to stay the night rather than travel alone late. Don't get the wrong idea; the guy is straight as an arrow, and I wouldn't cheat on Blaine, anyway (yes, I know we're technically not together, but I digress). Anyway, I'll be home after classes tomorrow, so you have the place to yourselves tonight. Please keep the volume down so the neighbors don't complain, and don't defile the sofa._

_TTFN,_

_Kurt_

Noah met Rachel in the kitchen, who handed him the note. After reading it, he chuckled, remarking, "Better not tell him that it's too late about the sofa." "And the coffee table," she reminded him. He picked her up, kissing her deeply. She returned the kiss with pleasure, wrapping her legs around his waist in the process. As he headed toward the bedroom, Rachel pouted, "But, Noah, I'm _so hungry_." "Rach, we'll order a pizza or somethin'…I need to be inside you like _yesterday_," he confessed, and she shivered with anticipation. They looked at each other lustfully, and Rachel ran her hand through Noah's hair and kissed him again. She giggled softly as the bedroom door closed behind them.

Some time later, Noah was paying for the pizza when Rachel emerged from the bathroom, patting her hair dry, wrapped in a soft bathrobe. "I can't have any dairy after tonight, you know, "she advised. "My audition's on Friday afternoon and I don't want to take any chances." "You'll do great, Rach, no worries," he affirmed. They sat down to their casual evening meal and began reviewing notes for their Wednesday classes. Although the professors were understanding about the Jewish holidays, the university did not shut down (as Pace did), and there was catching up to do.

* * *

Wednesday afternoon, Kurt entered his apartment to find Rachel, alone, sitting cross-legged on the sofa, highlighting passages from a textbook and humming something from the score of "Cinderella". Her laptop was sitting opened a few feet away, and as she paused to jot down some notes, she looked up when she heard Kurt's overnight bag being placed on the floor. "Hi, Kurt!" she greeted him. "Hi, yourself, Rachel! Happy New Year!" he replied. "Thanks, Kurt!" she acknowledged.

"Where's Puck?" Kurt questioned. "He went home after class, "she answered. "He has laundry to do, and he was going to work out before he got busy with his homework." She paused for a second and continued, "He also said something about checking out the music store to see if they need somebody to give guitar lessons." "Sounds like a good idea," Kurt mused. "D'you think Puck would still be willing to show me around at the gym? I really need to start working out," Kurt said decidedly. "I'm sure he'll be happy to, Kurt," Rachel surmised. "You can always use my elliptical, too, if you'd like," she offered. "Thanks, Rachel, I appreciate that. Tell me, Diva," Kurt said, changing the subject, "how was Lima? What's young Mr. Puckerman like?"

"He seems like a nice boy, if a bit sullen. Noah said that he was a little hostile, initially, but that diffused pretty quickly," she explained. "Noah is trying to convince him to join the glee club. There was this new girl…I think her name is Marla, or Marley, or something… anyway, he seemed interested in her, so my money is on him joining," she speculated, smiling broadly. "And how was Ms. Lopez?" Kurt inquired. "Partying up a storm, no doubt."

"Yes, Santana is definitely enjoying herself," Rachel admitted. "She joined this group for gay and bi-sexual students and ran into Dave Karofsky," she mentioned, watching Kurt as she spoke. "Sounds like he finally 'came out'; good for him," Kurt acknowledged. "You know how Santana said that she wanted to be 'famous'?" Rachel asked. "Hmm… yes, I seem to recall something along those lines," Kurt recollected. "Well, joining this group has seriously changed her perspective. She said she wants to do something to help kids like that…you know, gay kids with either family or personal acceptance issues," Rachel explained. Kurt was stunned. "Wow. That's really selfless; not a word I would ordinarily use to describe Santana Lopez," he admitted. "I guess college changes most of us, sooner or later," Rachel replied.

"And how did you find Blaine?" Kurt coyly inquired. "He seemed fine, Kurt. He's hanging around with Sam and Britt, and he mentioned he was thinking about running for senior class president," she commented. "Kurt, you must talk to him at least three times a week, I'm sure you already heard that from him," she remarked, smiling gently at him. "Yeah, well…I know. I just…I miss him," Kurt sadly acknowledged. Kurt and Rachel chatted about inconsequential things for a couple of minutes, then he excused himself to unpack and she returned to her studying.

As dinner time approached, Rachel was in the kitchen preparing a salad, singing "In My Own Little Corner" practicing for her audition on Friday. She had run through the song three times and was beginning the fourth when Kurt called out from his room, "If I hear that song _one __more time_, I will find a 'little corner' to put you in, Missy, and it will be far enough away from here that I won't have to listen to that song again!" Rachel huffed, "Kurt Hummel, of all people! I thought you had an appreciation for the arts." "I do," he declared, "but _that_ is beginning to border on kitsch. I would appreciate it if you would _at least_ vary your song choices, or that will be running through my head all night long, and I will not get any sleep tonight!" In the spirit of roommate harmony, Rachel began singing "Ten Minutes Ago", and Kurt, at least for the moment, had nothing more to say.

* * *

Four classes, two papers, and one pop quiz later, Rachel was waiting in the auditorium with the other "Cinderella" hopefuls, waiting for her name to be called. Noah had decided to join her and offer his support. They sat together watching the auditions. As each girl was finished, Rachel would quietly whisper "she was a little flat" or "she was a half-tone sharp on the second verse" or some other criticism. Noah only nodded his head; to him they all sounded pretty good, and he realized that Rachel faced some stiff competition.

Eventually, Rachel's name was called. She walked onto the stage with as much confidence as she could muster. She noticed that one of the "judges" was her advisor, Dr. Greene; she smiled at him, and he smiled back. Rachel did as the other girls: she sang a section of "In My Own Little Corner" and ran through some lines while dancing with one of the boys who were auditioning for the role of "the Prince". She had noticed the judges smiling as she sang, and Rachel figured she had this role "in the bag". After her audition was completed, similarly to most of the others, she thanked the judges and was thanked in turn by Dr. Greene. She exited the stage and went back to Noah, whose eyes were shining with admiration.

"Great job, Baby," he whispered, and kissed her on the cheek. "Thank you, Noah," Rachel whispered back, blushing slightly. They remained until the last girls trying out for the lead had auditioned; Rachel wanted to size up her competition first-hand. As they walked back to the subway, Rachel pulled her sweater closer around her and shivered at the sudden chill in the breeze. Summer had officially evolved into fall, and the first tell-tale signs had begun to tinge the leaves with red and gold. Noah noticed her discomfort and pulled her closer. "I guess I'll have to start dressing warmer, now," Rachel observed. Noah grinned, recalling her animal sweaters from freshman and sophomore years. It had been a long time since she had dressed like that, and, although he had a nostalgic fondness for 15-year-old Rachel, he vastly preferred the young woman currently snuggled next to him as they walked rapidly toward their subway entrance.

Since moving to New York, Rachel had eschewed her high school wardrobe and began dressing more "normally"; that is, wearing skinny jeans with sweaters or hoodies like the other girls on campus. Her Mary-Janes had long been replaced by either boots or ballerina flats, with stilettos reserved for special occasions. Although she had worn a skirt today, specifically for her audition, it was simple and black, not plaid, with a red cable knit cardigan over a red camisole.

They arrived at Noah's duplex shortly before 7:00 to pick up his clothes for Saturday services. They were leaving to walk the six blocks to Rachel's place when the Rosens' door opened and Cantor Rosen stepped out to pick up the evening paper. He noticed the pair and stopped them. "Rachel, Noah, please come and join us for dinner," he invited. "Thank you, Cantor," Rachel acknowledged. "It's so late, and we hate to intrude…" "Nonsense," he averred, "you must be hungry, and there's plenty to eat. I won't take 'No' for an answer," he said, grinning. "Please, come in." He opened the door and motioned into the house. Rachel and Noah looked at each other as if to say "why not?" and, as the Cantor requested, joined his family for Shabbat dinner.

* * *

**Author's Note**: "Aliya" literally means "going up" or "ascending". An Aliya is the honor one receives when they are asked to go up on the Bimah during a Jewish service and recite the blessings over the Torah, both prior to and after a Torah portion. If the individual is knowledgeable reading Hebrew, they may also be invited to read the section they had blessed (an even greater honor).


	15. Chapter 15

Chapter 15

With Yom Kippur only a few days away, Rachel thought it would be a nice gesture for the boys to host the "Break Fast" dinner in their duplex in order to thank the Rosens for their continued generosity. Noah was agreeable when she broached the subject, and it took little convincing for his house-mates to concur. Alec's and Ben's girlfriends were happy to be included, and the girls put their heads together to come up with a menu and determine who was going to make what. The one (minor) concession was that all cooking would have to take place in the duplex to ensure that it was Kosher. The Rosens were sincerely touched by their invitation; they had been renting the unit for many years, and it was seldom that their tenants were so thoughtful.

The Rosens invited the boys (and their girlfriends) for an early dinner on Erev Yom Kippur, and the entire group went together to Kol Nidre services. The Cantor was in fine voice that evening; Rachel whispered to Noah, "Just think, Noah, some day that will be _you_ up there." She squeezed his hand gently, her fingers interlaced with his, and, for the first time, his career choice truly hit home.

15-year-old "Puck" wanted to be a Rock Star; to travel the world, playing his music to cheering crowds, living the "sex, drugs, and rock n' roll" lifestyle with uninhibited (and unlimited) hot groupies, and metaphorically waving his middle finger in a big "Fuck You" to anybody who ever called him a "Lima Loser". Now, almost-19-year-old Noah had chosen to incorporate music with his faith, singing praises to G-d instead of himself, and sharing his life with one woman instead of sharing his body with scores of nameless fame-whores. He still wrote music, and he had decided look for a band to join once he was certain that he could keep up his grades and play gigs on the weekend, but that was for the joy of performing. He no longer desired his 15 minutes of fame, and, surprisingly enough, he didn't care what anybody else thought about it.

After services were over, they congratulated the Cantor on a job well done and walked back to the duplex. Seeing as it was Yom Kippur, there wasn't a lot that they could do, i.e. no TV, no computers, no writing. Rachel thought it was a pretty safe compromise to do some reading, so they took to their textbooks and read for a while in companionable silence.

* * *

Yom Kippur can be very grueling. Services last all day, and the fast begins after dinner the night before and ends after sunset. Participating in services, constantly standing up and sitting down, all on an empty stomach (and no water, either) does take its toll. Around 1:00 in the afternoon, there is a memorial service (Yizkor) that is primarily attended by people who have lost a parent, sibling, child, or spouse. Since both Rachel and Noah were fortunate not to fit into this category, they opted to go back to Noah's for a brief nap.

Rachel fell asleep almost immediately, while Noah drifted in and out. Rachel awoke around 2:30 with a severe headache and pangs of nausea. "Ooh, Noah, I can't hold my head up," she moaned. "What's the matter, Baby?" he asked, roused from his nap. "I feel so sick, Noah; I don't know what's wrong with me," she worried. Noah sat up and quickly assessed the situation. "You'll be OK, Rach; you just need to eat a little something," he observed. "No," she groggily replied, "I have to fast." "Look, Rach, not everybody fasts. It's OK," he reassured, as he got up and put back on his slacks. "I'll go downstairs and make you some tea and toast." "No, that's wrong," she admonished, starting to cry, "I have to fast and atone for my sins."

"Rachel, I think you've atoned enough," Noah wisely replied, smiling gently and wiping away her tears. "Now, let me take care of you." He kissed her on the forehead and she shakily smiled. He left her alone and went down to the kitchen, boiling the water for tea and toasting a slice of bread. He spread some cherry preserves on the toast, returning with it and a mug of tea for Rachel, who was struggling to sit up in bed. Noah placed her snack on the night stand and helped Rachel sit better, propping up the pillows for her.

"Here, take a sip of this," he instructed, handing her the tea. "It's some decaf chai I picked up last week; thought you'd like it," he explained. "It's good," she confirmed, albeit weakly. She continued taking small sips, allowing the tea to hydrate her and combat her nausea. Once the color began to come back to her face, Noah picked up the plate with the toast. "C'mon, Rach, now take a bite," he coaxed. "If it's too cold, I'll make you another piece," he offered. Rachel (for once) did as she was told and consumed some of the toast. "It's good, Noah, not too cold," she assured him. "Ya' sure, Baby? I'll go downstairs now…" he offered. "Please, just stay with me," she requested.

Noah climbed back on the bed and placed his arm gently around Rachel's shoulders as she continued eating. When she was done, he took the mug and plate and placed them back on the night table. "I'm sorry to have eaten in front of you, Noah," she apologized. "You must be starving." "Nah," he responded, "I can take it." He lightly pounded himself on the chest with his free arm, as if to imply how tough he was, and he gave her a lopsided grin and a wink. "Thank you for taking such good care of me, Noah," Rachel praised. "Always, Baby," he tenderly replied. "That's all part 'a the service." He grinned, full-on this time, and she snuggled into him, laying her head on his shoulder and sighing contentedly.

Shortly thereafter, sounds of activity in the kitchen began to fill the house. "Sounds like Candy and Melissa are back from services," Noah observed. Rachel sat up straight. "I should go and help them," Rachel commented, and attempted to get out of bed once Noah had moved aside. "Tell ya' what; let's both get dressed and help set things up," he suggested. "We'll go back to shul for the closing prayers and to hear them blow the Shofar, then we'll all have dinner." "Sounds like a good plan," Rachel concurred. "I feel much stronger now," she assured him. "Thanks for everything." She smiled at him tenderly and they kissed (chastely), and began once again to dress and make themselves presentable.

They soon found themselves in the kitchen helping to prepare for the evening's festivities. Rachel had come over immediately after classes the day before and made a noodle kugel, Melissa had baked cheesecake, and Candy was in process of mixing a large green salad. They had bought paper plates to minimize clean up efforts, and had everything arranged in short order. Alec had returned in the meantime, and he and Melissa volunteered to stay behind and finish up while the others walked back to the synagogue.

Once services were completed, the Shofar blown, and holiday wishes exchanged, the group walked back together for dinner. Jennifer tried (unsuccessfully) to walk next to Noah, but her mother puller her back, giving her a warning look and a shake of her head. The housemates and their girlfriends (well, primarily their girlfriends) had prepared a lovely dinner. They served tuna salad, cottage cheese, sour cream herring, bagels, various sliced cheeses, a green salad, a fruit salad, cut up vegetables, and noodle kugel. There was milk for the children and a pot of coffee brewing for the adults, and home-made cheesecake and (store bought) rugelach for dessert.

"You did a wonderful job," Mrs. Rosen marveled. "I don't know how you managed this, with school and studies and all." "You've been so kind to us, it was the least we could do," Rachel responded, the other girls echoing the same sentiment. "Yeah," Noah, chimed in, "you made us guys feel at home, and we wanted to show our appreciation." "This is really lovely," Mrs. Rosen complemented. Everybody was talking and laughing and it truly felt like family. Jennifer had just helped herself to a second piece of kugel when she heard her mother inquire who had made it. "I did, Mrs. Rosen," Rachel answered.

Jennifer practically gagged as she watched Noah come up to Rachel and put his arm around her. "Her Bubbe's one of the best kugel makers around, next to my Nana, of course," he grinned, looking fondly at Rachel, "and they've both been workin' with Rachel for a while." Rachel blushed and Mrs. Rosen looked at the couple amusedly. "The recipe is my Bubbe's, actually," Rachel admitted. "Noah's Nana started giving me cooking lessons this summer." She looked pointedly at Noah. "She insisted that I be able to take care of him so he doesn't starve, all alone in the big city, poor baby." Both teens laughed, and Noah kissed Rachel on the cheek. "That's my girl," he teased, "always lookin' out for me."

In what seemed like a heartbeat, dinner was over. Cantor and Mrs. Rosen felt touched by the outpouring of kindness and appreciation that their tenants had bestowed, Jennifer felt frustrated, and the younger children felt remorseful about going back to school in the morning. In seemingly no time, the kitchen was cleared, the food put away, and the students began to prepare for their return to their respective universities the following day.

* * *

**Author's Notes**: Kol Nidre is a special service that occurs on the evening before Yom Kippur. The Cantor basically makes a plea to G-d on behalf of the congregation that they be forgiven for their transgressions.

The Shofar is made from a ram's horn. It is blown during Rosh Hashanah services (excluding the Sabbath) and at the end of the Yom Kippur service.


	16. Chapter 16

Chapter 16

On Thursday morning, Rachel and Noah made a detour at her apartment to drop off her things prior to heading off to the subway to begin their ride to the city and classes for the day. Ordinarily, Noah's last class and Rachel's vocal lesson ended close enough together that he would wait for her to finish and they would ride home together. Today, he had his first guitar student and had opted to leave rather than wait. He knew that Rachel would find out if she had been given the lead in the play (she kept talking about it; who would forget?), so he decided to return to her place once the lesson was over to await her return.

The apartment was quiet as Noah and Kurt worked on their respective homework assignments. Rachel hadn't arrived, yet, and Kurt realized that Noah had things to do at his own place. "Go on, Puck; I'll call you when she gets home and give you the news if she can't," Kurt suggested. "Nah, Kurt, I'll wait," he replied. "This is her first big chance, and I wanna be here for her, ya' know?" Kurt looked at Noah bemusedly. "You really love her, don't you?" he queried. "Yeah, I do," he quietly admitted. Kurt was about to rib Noah; after all, Puck, the lady killer/man-whore of McKinley was admitting he loves a girl. Fortunately, he thought better of it. He wouldn't have appreciated being teased about Blaine, and Noah had always been supportive. "Have you told her?" He inquired. "Um, no, I haven't," he confessed, "but she hasn't said anything, either."

Kurt chuckled. "You straight men are all alike. Didn't you know, a woman will _never_ say 'I love you' first." Noah looked up, somewhat confused, and Kurt continued, "They think it makes them sound desperate, and if the man doesn't return their feelings, he'll feel entrapped and bail on the relationship." Noah looked puzzled. "Rachel must know how I feel," he countered. "I'd never do that." "I'm sure she does," Kurt agreed, "but you _still_ need to tell her." Noah thought for a moment; the best way would be with music, since that was Rachel's "second language"; he only had to pick the song and the place. "OK, Kurt, I've got an idea," he said. "Thanks for the insight." "Any time," Kurt replied.

They had returned to their homework when the key turned in the lock, and one tiny diva burst into the apartment in a very bad temper. She took off her raincoat, which was wet from the sudden downpour, and hung it up on the back of the closet door. "The _nerve_ of them," she irately began. "I clearly out-sang everybody there, and do you know what part I got?" She looked at the boys, who had given her their full attention. "'Girl Number Three'. Can you imagine? I'm in the chorus, Noah, the damn chorus." Noah smirked at Rachel's use of an expletive; he realized it underlied how serious this was to her, but Rachel swearing, even mildly, was humorous, at least to him.

"Excuse me, Noah, what's so damn funny?" There it was again. "Nothin', Rach; sorry, Baby. Go on…" "I get one line in 'The Prince Is Giving a Ball'," she continued. "One. Measly. Line. 'Why shouldn't he propose to _me_?" she repeated in an insipid voice. "And, I'm supposed to be grateful because I got a speaking part, if you can call it that. It's Just. Not. Fair." Rachel stamped her foot like an ill-tempered child, expecting her boyfriend and roommate to commiserate with her.

"Well, Rach, don't they say 'there are no small parts, only small actors'?" Noah asked hopefully. Instead of diffusing her anger, it had the opposite effect, and Rachel unleashed her full fury on her boyfriend. "Is that what you think, Noah? Is THAT what you think? I'm being SMALL about this?" She looked at him dead in the eyes. "Get out. Call me when you're ready to apologize." Noah was stunned; he had waited patiently when he had better things to do, and this was the thanks he received. "Fine. I'm outa' here." He grabbed his jacked and left the apartment in a huff, leaving his books and laptop behind.

"Rachel, what the FUCK is wrong with you?" Kurt shouted. Kurt, who never swore, shocked Rachel and brought her back to (at least a semblance of) reality. "You have sent that man out in the pouring rain, a man who has been waiting patiently here to support you, regardless of the outcome." He looked determinedly at Rachel. "Diva, if I was you, I would thank my lucky stars to have somebody like that in my life and I would immediately _run_, not walk, after him, until I caught him and begged his forgiveness for my rude and thoughtless behavior."

Rachel began to sob. "You're right, Kurt. I have to go." Rachel left the apartment, coatless, running down the steps and into the storm yelling "Noah…Noah…" She spotted him less than a block away and ran as fast as her body would allow until she caught up with him and practically tackled him. "Oh, Noah, I'm so sorry. Can you please find it in your heart to forgive me?" Rachel's hair was hanging down, soaking wet, and she looked, for all intents and purposes, like a drowned rat, her brown, tear-filled eyes gleaming hopefully up at him. "'Course, Baby, apology accepted. Let's get you outa' this rain, before you have no voice at all." He wrapped his arm protectively around a shivering Rachel, and the two walked as quickly as possible (that is, as quickly as possible for Rachel) and were soon back in the apartment, dripping wet from head to toe.

Upon seeing the pair standing in the doorway, a puddle rapidly forming under them, Kurt went into full "mother hen" mode. "OK, guys, time to get you into some dry clothes. Puck," Kurt looked at Noah, "do you have any clothes here?" he inquired. Noah, in fact, had an NYU hoodie and pair of sweat pants currently in Rachel's room. "Yeah, I do, Kurt," he answered. "Good, then I won't have to lend you anything," he said, trying to hide his smile as the humor of the scene before him began to register. "You two; go change _now_," he ordered. "I'll heat up some tomato soup in the meantime." "Thank you, Kurt," Rachel said. "If I wasn't so wet, I'd kiss you." Kurt wrinkled his nose at the though of her dripping all over him. "That can wait for another time, Rachel," he replied, trying to remain composed and not break out laughing. "Please take care of yourselves, post haste, before you flood the apartment."

When they emerged from Rachel's room a few minutes later, Noah had changed into his sweats, and Rachel was wearing her long chenille bathrobe and fuzzy slippers, her hair wrapped in a towel "turban". Noah was seated on the sofa, a self-satisfied smile on his face, while Rachel busied herself by drying his hair with another towel. Kurt entered the room with three steaming mugs of tomato soup on a tray, along with a plate of toasted bagel halves, some cream cheese, and a couple of knives. "I know it's not dinner," he admitted, "but I think we could all use some hot soup right about now."

With the situation now completely diffused, Noah asked, "So, Rach, what're ya' gonna do about it?" "Well," she replied, "I've already made an appointment with Dr. Greene tomorrow. I would like him to explain why I wasn't cast in the lead when I clearly sang better than any one else." She took another sip of her soup and primly continued, "If I can't convince him to rescind the decision, at least I'll find out why it was made." "Sounds like a good idea, Babe," Noah concurred. At this point, short of Rachel threatening to blow up the school, he would have agreed with anything. After all, only a fool makes the same mistake twice in a row.


	17. Chapter 17

Chapter 17

**Author's note**: My casting choice for Rachel's advisor would be Kevin Bacon. I originally had considered a different actor, but I think he would aptly convey an advisor for performing arts students. Plus…he can sing and dance; isn't that usually a prerequisite (for "Glee")? ;-)

* * *

Friday classes seemed to drag on interminably to Rachel, as she was impatient to meet with her advisor. Once classes were over, she sent Noah on his way with a hug and a kiss and a promise to see him later in the afternoon. Noah had volunteered to help assemble the Sukkah at the synagogue, and they wanted to accomplish as much as possible before 4:00.

Rachel went to her advisor's office, where she found the door open. She was going to knock, anyway, to announce her arrival, but Dr. Greene saw her coming and ushered her in. "So, Rachel, to what do I owe this visit?" he asked, as he motioned for her to sit down. "Dr. Greene, with all due respect, I would like to know why I didn't get the lead in the play. Clearly, I sang better than any of the other girls." Although Rachel's advisor had not known her long, he had met countless students over the years of a similar mindset.

"You have a beautiful voice, Rachel, and we see a great deal of potential in you," he complimented, and she modestly thanked him in response. "Otherwise, you wouldn't have received a scholarship. We expect great things from you, Rachel, and we know you'll do NYU proud." Rachel felt flattered and humbled by his compliments, even though they were puzzling. "If that's the case, Dr. Greene, then why am I only in the chorus?" she inquired. "After all, I was the lead in my high school musical; I played 'Maria' in 'West Side Story'," she said proudly.

Dr. Green smiled, finding her remark unintentionally amusing. "Rachel, do you realize how many of those girls were the lead in at least one of their high school plays?" She shook her head. "Probably most, if not all of them," he answered. "And I'll bet there were at least 20 who played 'Maria'. This is Tisch; some of the most talented students in the country apply here every year, and we select the best of the best. You should feel honored to be in their company." Rachel had never considered that before; until that point, she had been focused on herself and her accomplishments, not the merits of the other students.

Dr. Greene continued. "As a casting director, Rachel, I really wouldn't owe you an explanation," he said. "However, as your advisor, as well as a father with two daughters close to your age, I'll try to help you understand." He paused and looked at Rachel to make sure she was paying close attention. "In the first place, even if you had performed better than all the other candidates, you simply haven't 'paid your dues', yet." "That's not fair!" Rachel countered. "True," he agreed, "but life's not fair. If you pursue a career as an actor, you'll go on multiple casting calls and have many auditions. Sometimes you'll outshine everybody else and still not get the part." Rachel looked disconcerted as she listened to his remarks, but she continued to pay attention.

"Look, sometimes you'll be too short, or too young, or too something, just not the right 'type'. Maybe the director is sleeping with an actress, or wants to sleep with an actress, and casts her, hoping to pursue an affair." Rachel frowned. "Honestly, these days, it's usually about the money; who has the name that'll draw the people in. Nobody wants to pay $100 a ticket to see someone they've never heard of. And, until you 'pay your dues'; that is, work in the chorus, take on small roles, and become known in the business, it's doubtful that you'll land those leading parts." He looked again at Rachel, whose face was more thoughtful than perturbed, and he realized his points were getting through to her.

"If I may give you a piece of advice," he paused, and Rachel nodded her head, "remember that some of the students you work with today will be the directors, producers, designers, and fellow actors you'll work with professionally. If you treat them respectfully and behave like a 'team player', they'll remember that." He looked Rachel directly in the eyes and continued, "The converse is true, as well. If you behave like a petulant child who thinks they're too good for the role they were assigned, that will be remembered, too."

"Be genuinely enthusiastic at rehearsals; not over-the-top, just happy and appreciative to be there. Pay attention to the direction given, and if you disagree, don't offer suggestions. Be cooperative; reach out to help someone out if they need it, and don't be offended if they refuse your offer. And, _don't_ offer unsolicited advice. Nobody wants to know they were a half-tone sharp in the third bar…unless they specifically ask, of course." Rachel blushed, recalling all the times she had attempted to "help" her glee club teammates, and their less than appreciative responses to her critiques.

"I truly apologize, Dr. Greene. It wasn't my intention to behave that way," she admitted. "I guess I took far too much for granted." "It's OK, Rachel, that's what I'm here for. My door is always open," he replied, smiling paternally. Dr. Greene thought for a moment and remarked, "You know what? I think you would really benefit from some mentoring." Rachel wasn't sure how she felt about that, so she opted for an inquisitive smile and withheld judgment until she heard more. "Cindy Miller, she's the young woman playing the 'Fairy Godmother'; she's a senior and would be an excellent role model for you. I'll assign you to be her understudy." Rachel perked up a bit; it wasn't the lead, but it wasn't "Girl Number Three", either.

"Don't worry, Rachel," Dr. Greene advised, "Cindy's been involved in many of our shows and never missed a performance. I want you to pay attention to how she works…how she takes on a character, how she interacts with others. You'll learn a lot from her. You'll still be in the chorus, too, that hasn't changed." He paused again, as if mulling over something. "Rachel, if you don't mind, I'd like to give her your phone number. She's a lovely young woman; I think you'll like her." "Of course, Dr. Green, that would be great," Rachel replied. "I appreciate the opportunity. It'll be good to talk with her; I have so many questions, too." She grinned at Dr. Greene, and he realized that he had truly gotten through to Rachel.

Rachel stood up and said, "Thanks again, Dr. Greene, for your time and your honesty. I promise to be a 'team player', and I'm looking forward to working on the play." Rachel's expression and tone of voice affirmed the genuineness of her statement, and she was leaving a different person than the one who had entered only a short time before. "You're welcome, Rachel. It's always a pleasure to see you," he replied. "Same here, sir," she replied with a smile.

* * *

**Author's Note**: A bit of trivia: "Funny Girl" was actually going to be revived a couple of years ago. The cast had been announced, but before rehearsals got underway, the producers pulled the plug. The girl playing "Fanny" had been on a TV show and was apparently quite good, but she wasn't widely recognized, and the backers were unwilling to invest $1,000,000 apiece in the production without a big name. The concern was purely financial; fear that nobody would attend a revival of a show without a well-known star in the lead, and the investors would lose money. After all, anybody can watch Barbra Streisand do the same thing (better) at home for the cost of a DVD. Point being, if a known actor wasn't bankable (in reality), it's ludicrous to entertain the idea that a virtual unknown would be considered, let alone sought out.

In other words, there would be no way in Hell that any producer would consider hiring an unknown for the lead role, as it wouldn't be economically feasible. Unless…of course…they wanted the play to fail ("The Producers", anyone?). Oh, well, it's truly only a TV show, after all.


	18. Chapter 18

Chapter 18

Having concluded the meeting with her advisor, Rachel walked away with a "reality check" and a fresh perspective. After all, college was about "honing her craft" along with obtaining a university education. Maybe the old adage that Noah paraphrased yesterday was true, after all, and she _was_ being petty about the whole thing. She had treated Noah and Kurt, her two dearest friends in the world, very badly, and she wanted to make it up to them, even if only in some small way.

Noah arrived at Rachel's apartment around 4:30 with the intention of picking her up and taking her to the Rosens' for Shabbat dinner. What he found when he arrived was a bemused Kurt at the doorway and an extremely focused Rachel bustling around the kitchen, muttering to herself and looking at a notebook as she measured ingredients. Noah dropped off his things in Rachel's bedroom and entered the kitchen, arms folded with a smirk on his face.

"What's goin' on here, Rach?" he asked, chuckling at Rachel "in action". "I thought we were having dinner at the Rosens'," he remarked. "Please call and let them know we won't be coming tonight, Noah," Rachel requested, "because I'm making dinner." She looked at him apologetically. "I feel terribly about the way I behaved yesterday, so I wanted to make it up to you and Kurt. Noah approached Rachel and kissed her on the cheek, placing his hands on her shoulders. "So, my little domestic goddess, what're we having for dinner?"

Rachel replied, "The salad's already in the refrigerator, and I'm making blintzes from your Nana's recipe." Noah broke out in a huge grin. "That's _awesome_, Rach! Thank you," he exclaimed. "Are ya' sure you know what you're doing?" he cautioned. "Well…I've already talked to your Nana twice, so I think I'll be OK," she hesitantly answered. "The batter is ready and the filling is almost done," she explained. "I already burned two crepes," she admitted sheepishly, "but there's a lot of batter, and this one seems to be OK so far," she said, turning the thin pancake over with a spatula.

Noah left Rachel to her cooking and called the Rosens, letting them know not to expect him and Rachel that evening. He joined Kurt on the sofa. "So, whatta ya' make of all this?" he asked. "You mean Rachel making dinner?" Kurt replied. "She came home with a new attitude and a bag full of groceries. I'm not sure what her advisor said, but, obviously, it cheered her up." He paused thoughtfully, and continued, "At least, he must have helped her see things more objectively. Time will tell, of course…"

Noah and Kurt sat on the sofa for a few minutes; Kurt flipping through the pages of "Vogue" and Noah flipping through the channels on the TV. Their aimless wanderings were halted when Rachel called out "Would you guys mind setting the table? Dinner should be ready in about 20 minutes." The boys did as they were asked, and the table was set in short order. As she estimated, the blintzes were ready within 20 minutes, and she brought them to the table as Noah retrieved the salad from the refrigerator.

Prior to beginning their meal, Rachel said the blessing over the Sabbath candles. Rachel's expression was peaceful as she repeated the prayer, eyes closed, basking in the glow of the two candles, and Noah never failed to be mesmerized by the scene. Once the brief Friday evening ritual concluded, Rachel and Noah exchanged "Good Shabbos" and a chaste kiss, and then the three friends sat down and began their meal. Rachel tasted hers thoughtfully. "These are OK, actually," she said, smiling. "Not as good as your Nana's, of course, but definitely edible." "They're more than edible, Babe, these are great!" Noah praised her. "Yeah, Rachel, they _are_ good," Kurt complimented. "I'll have to call Nana Connie later and thank her," Rachel commented.

In the midst of sharing their days' experiences, Kurt excitedly offered, "You'll never guess _what_ I heard at school today." "Well, since we'll 'never guess', then tell us, Kurt," Noah coaxed. "Well," Kurt huffed, his bubble burst. "It seems that 'Callbacks' has a huge Halloween party every year, the last Saturday in October. They choose a theme, and everybody comes in costume. Rachel grinned eagerly and Noah rolled his eyes; he was fairly certain he'd be roped into something embarrassing, and he was determined to do whatever he could to avoid it. "What's the theme, Kurt?" Rachel encouraged. "'Rocky Horror'," Kurt replied, grinning like a kid in a toy store. Rachel squealed delightedly. "Oh, Kurt, that is _so cool_!" she agreed.

"Noah, remember when I told you about how we tried to do that while you were away junior year?" she asked breathlessly. "Ya' mean in Juvie." he stated matter-of-factly. "Yes, Noah, when you were incarcerated," she acquiesced. "Finn and I were 'Brad' and 'Janet'; Mike had volunteered to be 'Frank N. Furter', but his parents wouldn't let him…" "So Mercedes took that over," Kurt interjected, "and I was 'Riff Raff'. Remember, Rach, Ms. P. was with that hottie dentist, and Mr. Schue was going crazy?" Kurt recalled, grinning evilly (in full yenta mode). "And," now Kurt was laughing, "remember when Finn walked down the hall in his _underwear…and almost got expelled!_" "Sounds like a real laugh riot; sorry I missed it," said Noah, rolling his eyes. It actually sounded pretty lame to him, but he would never volunteer that opinion…except for the part about Finn in his underwear; that must have been fucking hilarious…Kurt and Rachel, however, were not dissuaded by Noah's apparent disdain and chose to ignore it.

"Kurt, do you still have your costume?" Rachel inquired. "I'm not sure if I brought it, but I could certainly whip one up pretty quickly," Kurt surmised. "OK, Then. Kurt, you can be 'Riff Raff', and I'll be 'Magenta', and Noah…you can be 'Frank N. Furter'!" Rachel offered. "Sorry, but No. Friggin'. Way," Noah quickly replied. "I will not go out in public, let alone in private, in fishnets and high heels."

"Oh, come on, Noah; you'd look so _sexy_," Rachel looked at him seductively, attempting to convince him. "No." Noah thought for a moment. "If I do that, Rachel, five years, maybe four," he stated definitively, looking her in the eye. Kurt looked puzzled, especially after Rachel responded carefully, "No, Noah, I told you seven, and not one year sooner." "Sorry, Rachel, I'm lookin' at four years here, take it or leave it," he adamantly stated. "No-ah," Rachel whined, "seven…maybe…six, but I'd feel more comfortable with seven." She looked at him hopefully. "If I have to dress up, I'll go as 'Eddie', and that's as far as I'll go," he offered. "Otherwise, we're lookin' at four years, five tops." Rachel knew when she'd been outplayed. "OK, Noah, 'Eddie' it is." Rachel felt dejected; after all, "Eddie" was basically a leather jacket, a t-shirt, and a pair of jeans. Maybe he'd let Kurt make him up, put a fake axe in his head…something…Rachel's mind began laundry-listing ideas.

Once dinner was over and the table cleared, Noah stood at the sink, taking care of the dishes. Rachel had tried to convince him otherwise, as she considered it part and parcel of her apology, but he told her "If you cook, then I clean," and left it at that. Rachel was actually tired after her long day and plopped down on the sofa. Kurt looked at her oddly. "Rachel, what was all that business about 'five years, six years', whatever?" Rachel blushed and looked to see that Noah was preoccupied with the dishes. In a voice barely above a whisper, she said "Noah wants to start a family in five years, after he's done with grad. school, but I want to wait until I'm more established in my career." Kurt was floored, and his mouth literally dropped open as he stared at Rachel in disbelief. "Rachel, you've only been dating a few months, and you're already planning a family?" he whispered. "Mm-hmm," she shyly confirmed, nodding slightly and smiling softly. "That's not saying it'll happen, of course, but what's wrong with a little planning?" she coyly proposed. Kurt shook his head; he had no response. Those two were crazier than he thought.


	19. Chapter 19

Chapter 19

Saturday evening found the three friends making their way toward Callbacks. Noah had brought along his guitar, which piqued Rachel's curiosity, although she had said nothing. They were meeting some of Kurt's friends from Pace, reminiscing about their friends from home as they walked briskly in the fall night air.

"So, I was talkin' to 'Other Asian', the other day," Noah began, when Rachel jabbed him in the ribs. "Noah, that's _racist_," she whispered. Noah chuckled and retorted, "If Chang's OK with it, what's the problem? Anyway…he was sayin' that he's thinkin' of changing schools." "Why would he do that?" Kurt inquired. "Joffrey is so prestigious, after all." "He likes the dance stuff, enough, but it's pretty intense in that regard and kinda soft on the other stuff, like writing and history and shit," Noah answered. "He was, like, valedictorian, right?" "Yes, he was," Rachel affirmed. "Well," Noah continued, "he's thinkin' of transferring here next year, either to Juilliard or NYU. Says his dad is pretty stoked about the whole thing, like, it's a good compromise or something." Rachel beamed. "It would be great to have him here, wouldn't it, Kurt?" she asked, excitedly. "Yes, Mike's a good guy," Kurt agreed.

"Does he have any interviews set up?" Rachel inquired. "He's workin' on that," Noah explained. "Said he hoped to have something by the end of the month…maybe come out here and visit for a long weekend; look around, ya' know?" Rachel squealed delightedly. "If Michael can 'swing it', maybe he can be here for the Halloween party…I'm sure _he'd_ dress up as 'Frank N. Furter', unlike someone _else_…" She looked pointedly at Noah, who laughed and reminded her, "Four years, Rach, are you willing to make that compromise?" He winked at her, Rachel blushed and glanced away, and Kurt rolled his eyes, thinking "_Sooo crazy_".

Soon enough, they were in the crowded club. Rachel and Kurt waived and walked over to Kurt's friends, while Noah went to sign up for his turn. When he approached the table, Kurt and Rachel were playfully arguing about whether or not to sing a duet from "Wicked". Jeff, one of Kurt's friends from Pace, laughingly suggested, "Well, you could always sing 'Anything You Can Do, I Can Do Better' from 'Annie Get Your Gun'." Noah cracked up laughing, commenting, "That just about sums you two up for most of high school. That would have been _perfect_ for glee club." Rachel glared at him; "Thank you, Noah, for your unsolicited feedback," she said primly.

"Sorry, Baby," he said, grinning, and he kissed her on the cheek, diffusing her momentarily bruised ego. "Noah, what are you singing tonight?" she asked, hopefully. "It's a surprise, Rach," he replied, "something I probably should 'a done a long time ago." He winked at Kurt, who immediately understood and smiled, saying nothing. "What's going on?" Rachel asked, looking at Kurt. "Rachel, I have no idea…," Kurt deadpanned. Rachel was about to press Kurt further for details, when Noah's name was called.

He walked onto the stage, took his guitar out of his case, and tuned it. He turned to the mike and said "I was talkin' to a good friend of mine the other day, and he told me that I needed to say this. Guess it takes a gay guy to know what a straight guy can't figure out." He chuckled, along with the audience. "Anyway, Rachel, Baby, this is for you." He began singing "Have I Told You Lately That I Love You?" accompanying himself on his acoustic guitar. Even as her tears fell, Rachel couldn't take her eyes off Noah, who was focused on his performance, afraid to look out at his girlfriend, unsure of her reaction to his heartfelt declaration.

Noah concluded his performance to hearty applause, thanked the audience, and gathered his guitar, replacing it in its case, and left the stage for the next "act". He returned to the table, butterflies in his stomach, concerned about Rachel's response. He found her dabbing at her eyes and did not have time to put his guitar case down when she jumped up and embraced him, cooing 'Ooh, Noah!" He bent his head down to meet hers and they kissed, sweetly, while their companions cried out "Aaawww…" in unison.

Once the kiss was broken, Rachel looked up at her boyfriend. "Did you mean that, Noah?" she asked, eyes filled with tenderness. "Yeah, Baby, every word," he replied, looking deeply into her eyes and brushing back a tendril of her hair that was clinging to her face. "I love you too, you big goofball," she affirmed, smiling, "so much." They kissed again, this time more emphatically, but the activity surrounding them quickly brought them back to reality. Kurt had left to sign up himself and Rachel for a duet when a stranger approached the table.

"Um, excuse me…Noah Puckerman?" he asked, looking at Noah. "Yeah, why?" he replied warily, his arm around Rachel. "My name is Craig Marcus." He held out his right hand, and Noah shook hands with him. "Are you a music major? You're really good," he complimented. "Thanks; minor, actually, NYU," Noah elucidated. "That's cool; I'm a junior there, myself," he explained, smiling. "The reason I'm asking is, um…well, I'm in a band, 'Undercover'…we play covers, mostly…what can I say?" He gave a half-smile, paused and looked at Noah directly. "We're looking for a new guitarist. Do you play electric?" "Yeah, I do…keyboard, too. What type a' gigs do you play?" Noah inquired. "Mostly local bars, occasionally a Bar Mitzvah…we did a school dance, once," he replied, grinning.

Noah thought for a moment before answering. "Thanks, I'm really flattered. Thing is, I'm just a freshman, and kinda gettin' used to the whole 'college thing'." He paused and looked at the guy, continuing, "I'm on a scholarship and need to keep up my grades." Craig looked disappointed and turned to walk away, when Noah said "D' ya' mind if I get your number? Once I'm sure I've got a handle on things, maybe I can try out next semester…that is, if ya' still need me." Craig smiled, pulled out a pen, and wrote his number down on a napkin. "Hold on to this, Noah," he said, handing him the napkin. 'Good luck this semester…hope to hear from you in January." They shook hands again, and Craig left to rejoin his group.

"Oh, Noah, that's wonderful," Rachel commented. "Yeah, Puck, really great," Kurt concurred. "What do you think you'll do?" Rachel inquired. "See how my grades are this semester, first off," Noah answered honestly. "If they're good, depending on the course load next semester, _and_ helping around the synagogue _and_ giving guitar lessons, I'll see if I can work it in," he explained. "The money won't hurt, that's for sure." "Maybe they can use a female vocalist, too," Rachel coyly suggested. "Anybody particular in mind, Rachel?" Kurt slyly inquired. Everybody laughed, Rachel included. Kurt's and Rachel's names were called, and they excused themselves from the table. Noah exhaled deeply. The evening had shaped up much better than he expected. He took the napkin out, looked at it thoughtfully, refolded it, and put it back in his jacket pocket. He relaxed in his seat, hands clasped behind his head, and watched his girlfriend and her best friend sing "For Good" from "Wicked" (apparently saving "Anything You Can Do…" for another time).

* * *

**Author's Notes**: "Have I Told You Lately That I Love You?" was written (words and music) by Van Morrison.

"Anything You Can Do, I Can Do Better" was written (words and music) by Irving Berlin for the musical "Annie Get Your Gun".

"For Good" was written (words and music) by Stephen Schwartz for the musical "Wicked".


	20. Chapter 20

Chapter 20

After a quick breakfast the next morning, Noah returned home to do laundry, begin writing a paper, and help Cantor Rosen (along with his housemates) erect a sukkah in the backyard. It was basically three sides, the fourth side being the back of the house, where the back door would easily lead in and out. The twins made paper chains to hang from the slatted ceiling. Their big sister was supposed to be supervising, but she spent more time ogling Noah than anything else. By now, he realized (men can be so obtuse, can't they? :-)) that she harbored a crush on him, and he did his best to keep his distance.

Structure completed, the boys retreated to their side of the duplex and returned to their studies. Noah had begun feeling a little run down, but he put it out of his mind and got back to work. By 5:00, he had showered, shaved, and gone to pick up Rachel; the Rosens had invited their tenants to dine with them in the sukkah for Erev Sukkot. In Lima, the Temple communal sukkah was too small to house the entire congregation for a sit-down meal; after the Friday evening service (during Sukkot), the congregants would file through in small groups and take a cookie (or some small snack), which they would eat inside the structure (thereby fulfilling their mitzvot).

With 13 people, the structure was a little tight, but not uncomfortable. This was partly due to the added bulk of fall coats and sweaters, thanks to the impending seasonal chill in the late September evening. In fact, the twins had been so vociferous about the temperature that, by the completion of the first course, the party was moved indoors. Mrs. Rosen prepared a traditional holiday meal (similar to a Rosh Hashanah dinner), and the makeshift family shared another festive occasion together.

After dinner, Rachel and Noah walked the six blocks back to Rachel's and Kurt's apartment in the chilly evening. As they were reviewing their Monday class assignments, Noah began coughing. "Are you OK, Noah?" Rachel concernedly asked. "Fine, Baby, just a little dry," he replied. Rachel, who had grown up with two men, neither of whom would readily admit to illness, was having none of it. "Work on your paper, Noah," she instructed. "I'm going to get you some hot tea." Rachel vanished before he could object, and soon she was back with a steaming mug of chamomile tea with honey and lemon. She handed it to him, instructing, "Drink this, Noah; it'll help you feel better." She kissed him on the forehead, both as a sign of affection and to determine if he was running a temperature. Satisfied that he was not, she resumed her studies. He took a sip, smiled, and acknowledged her gesture with a grateful "Thank you, Baby."

Rachel awoke Monday full of nervous energy. While Noah slept, she began her morning beauty "rituals", followed by a half hour on the elliptical, effectively burning both calories and anxiety regarding the upcoming rehearsal that afternoon. When Rachel was about halfway through, Noah groggily turned over and sneezed. Rachel, who was listening to her iPod, did not hear him, but saw him. She slowed down and asked "Noah, are you catching cold?" her voice laden with concern. "Nah, I'm fine, Rach," he answered, and sneezed again. "Gesundheit!" she called out. "Thanks," he replied

"Noah, why don't you stay home today? I can take notes for both of us," she offered. Noah pushed himself up in bed. "No, thanks, Rach. I'm really good," he avowed. "I'm gonna take a hot shower and I'll be fine." He left the bedroom to do just that; fortunately, Kurt was on a later schedule, so there was no conflict in the bathroom.

When he came out, showered, shaved, and dressed, Rachel had breakfast waiting: orange juice, oatmeal, toast, and coffee brewing. "Sit down and eat, Noah, while I finish getting ready," she instructed. "Aww, Baby, ya' didn't need to do this for me," he protested. "I wanted to," she confirmed, smiling as she moved toward the bathroom. "Now, eat!" she ordered teasingly, closing the bathroom door. When Rachel emerged, ready to face the day, she found a yogurt and raspberry smoothie waiting for her. "Oh, Noah, you're so good to me," she cooed; when she approached him for a kiss, he ducked his head and sneezed, again.

"Noah Puckerman! I insist you go home and take care of yourself," Rachel ordered. Noah chuckled. "No can do, Babe. Now, drink up your smoothie, we have to get to class," he responded, and sneezed once more. "Puck, at least take some vitamin C," Kurt called out from his bedroom. "OK, Kurt, thanks!" Noah replied. "C'mon, Babe, lets go," he said to Rachel, motioning toward the door. "Just…keep your germs to yourself, Noah. I have a rehearsal today," Rachel explained, warily eying Noah and keeping a slight distance between them.

At Rachel's insistence, Noah kept hydrated during their classes, alternating hot beverages with water. After their second lecture was complete, she pleaded with him to go home and take care of himself. He steadfastly declined, and told her he would meet her at the theater around 4:30 and wait, if necessary, for the rehearsal to end.

Per the instructions she received, Rachel went to a pre-designated dressing room and changed from her school clothes into more suitable attire: a leotard, tights, a short wrap skirt, and dance shoes with two inch heels and an arch strap. The other young women were chattering eagerly and there was a current of excitement in the air. Although Rachel's old high school insecurities took hold for a moment, she remembered her advisor's recommendations; pushing them back, she reached out to some of the girls instead of remaining focused on herself.

Soon, everyone was instructed to take a seat in the auditorium. The director, choreographer, musical director, lead costumer, and set designer all introduced themselves on stage, and then the principal actors were called up to do the same. Rachel was finally able to see the young woman her advisor had mentioned the other day, Cindy, and made a mental note to introduce herself later. The girl was at least six inches taller than Rachel, with extremely curly brown hair that reminded her of Bernadette Peters. She had always considered that an understudy would at least (size wise) somewhat resemble the actor they were supporting, but she realized that her assignment was really more that than anything else, i.e. study and learn, as the chance of performing in her stead was virtually impossible.

Once the introductions were completed, the director explained that there were at least four slightly different adaptations of the musical being performed, and that they had opted for the original version that was presented in 1957. He announced that they would be running through the production, not reading many lines or singing, per se, just to establish some preliminary blocking and get an initial feel of how the scenes flowed together. Apparently, the next sessions would be offstage, learning the songs and choreography.

Being in the chorus, Rachel participated in three segments: the opening number ("The Prince Is Giving A Ball"), the section during the ball, itself, and the finale. As they were walking through the first scene, she was surprised to recognize the person playing the "herald" (who announces the ball and sings the solo) was none other than Jesse St. James. She caught his eye and smiled, and after the initial shock left his face, he returned the gesture. Once the set was completed, the actors were dismissed to return to the auditorium and await their next scene, and the director began working with the principals.

Rachel found the process fascinating and much more professional than her experience on "West Side Story". She had just taken a seat to review her script (after all, even an understudy needs to be prepared) when she heard somebody sit down next to her, followed by a familiar male voice: "I see you made it to New York. Congratulations!" She turned to her right, looking directly into Jesse's amused eyes.

"Nice to see you too, Jesse," Rachel replied. "How long have you been at NYU?" "I started this semester," he answered. "My dad said that if I wanted to pursue a performing arts degree, I had to go to UA to pick up my grades, first…prove that I wasn't going to screw around like I did in California," he admitted. "I didn't think they had an Arts program," Rachel suggested. "They do, but they might as well not have," he confirmed. "Trust me, nobody would take a BA in theater arts from the University of Akron seriously. I kept up with my voice lessons, but that was the extent of it. I consider it my year in Purgatory," he concluded.

"And here you are," she stated. "Yes, and here I am," he teased. "So, are you 'unencumbered' these days?" Jesse slyly asked. "If you mean, am I dating someone, the answer is yes, Jesse," Rachel confirmed. "Who, that lumbering jock, Flynn, or that brooding 'Mohawk guy'…or is there somebody new?" he inquired. Rachel was not pleased. "In the first place, Jesse, his name is Finn, not Flynn, and he's at OSU," she explained. "You're with 'Mohawk guy'?" he incredulously retorted. Rachel smiled tenderly. "Yes, I am. His name is Noah, Jesse, and he shaved the Mohawk off a long time ago."

Jesse looked at her quizzically. "You look quite smitten Rachel," he commented. "I am," she admitted, blushing. Jesse laughed. "I suppose I should've seen it coming, even back then. Good luck with that," he offered. "Thanks, Jesse," she responded. "If I may ask, are you seeing anybody?"

"Well…actually, Rachel…I am, but I should explain something…" "Are you OK, Jesse?" she asked, concernedly. "Yes, I'm fine," he confirmed. "Look…when Shelby pushed us together, I was…uh…having some doubts…that is…about…um…whether I liked girls or not," he clumsily revealed, hurrying the last few words out. "Jesse, are you telling me that you're _gay_?" Rachel asked, incredulously. "Yes, I am, Rachel," he admitted.

Rachel started laughing, and Jesse didn't know how to react. "I'm sorry, Jesse," she apologized, "it's just…with two gay fathers, well, I should have known. I guess my 'gadar' must have been 'offline' at the time." "Apology accepted," he said, and offered his right hand, which she took, shaking his hand. "Friends?" she asked. "Friends," he confirmed, smiling genuinely.

Rachel noticed Cindy leaving the stage and thought it would be a good time to approach her. "Jesse, there's somebody my advisor wants me to meet," she explained. "I'm sorry to cut this short. Maybe we can catch up in a couple of days?" she offered. "Of course, Rachel," he agreed. "It was great seeing you. Say hello to 'Mohawk guy' for me!" Rachel excused herself; as she walked away, she rolled her eyes, shaking her head at the thought of Noah's reaction to Jesse's presence.

Rachel found Cindy as she was heading toward the exit and approached her. "Excuse me, Cindy?" she asked hesitantly. "Yes," the girl said, smiling inquisitively at Rachel. "Hi, I'm Rachel Berry," she introduced herself, extending her hand for a handshake, which the older girl returned. "Dr. Greene suggested that…" "Oh, yeah," Cindy interjected, "he called me about you. Told me you have quite a voice, there, Rachel," she complimented. "Thank you, Cindy," she modestly replied. "He suggested you might benefit from a little mentoring, and I'm always happy to oblige a fellow thespian," Cindy said with a bright smile.

"That's so kind of you, Cindy; I truly appreciate it," Rachel replied. "I guess I have a lot to learn," she confessed, looking around." "You're right, you do," the older girl confirmed, grinning. "That's OK, we all do; every day there's something new. In this profession, you never stop learning. It's kinda cool, actually," she admitted. "Stick with me, kid, I'll 'show ya' the ropes'," she teased. "Thank you, Cindy," Rachel again acknowledged. She was about to say something, when there was an announcement that the chorus was due back on stage. "I guess that's me," Rachel said. "You'd better go Rachel," Cindy suggested. "One of the first rules of the theater is 'never be late'." "Yes, ma'am," Rachel teased, giving a mock salute. Cindy chuckled. "You're OK, Rachel. We'll talk again tomorrow. Now, scoot!" she ordered (in jest, of course).

* * *

**Author's Notes**: Sukkot (or Sukkas) is a holiday that celebrates the harvest, relating back to a time when society was primarily agrarian. Temporary booths (called a sukkah) are constructed, and meals are supposed to be eaten inside, weather permitting (some brave souls even sleep there). There is no traditional ceiling, per se, but usually some type of wooden slats or boughs are used so the participants can "see the stars" at night. The holiday lasts eight days, like Passover, and, similarly, the first and last two days are considered Shabbat-like, where no work, etc. is to be done. The last day of the holiday is Simchat Torah, which celebrates the completion of reading the Torah (which, of course, begins again). For those who are interested there is a ton of information available on the Internet.

Many Conservative and Reformed Jews do not abstain from work, etc. throughout the holiday, so I decided that our characters would behave similarly.

"Gesundheit" is a German/Yiddish expression that is exclaimed when another person sneezes. Loosely translated, it means "to your good health".


	21. Chapter 21

Chapter 21

Noah entered the auditorium at 4:20 and found a seat toward the back. To him, it looked like controlled chaos on the stage; people were sort of milling about and somebody was pointing out where they should go. That went on only a few more minutes, and they were apparently dismissed. He turned his head to cough into his sleeve and when he looked up, his eyes met Rachel's, and they both smiled. "Hi, Noah!" Rachel greeted him. He sneezed, and in a slightly hoarse voice replied, "Hi, Rach."

"Noah, you should really go home and take care of yourself," Rachel suggested, her voice laden with concern. "No, Babe, I'm OK," he replied, sniffling. Rachel dug into her purse and produced a packet of tissues, which she handed over to him. "Here, Noah," she offered. "Please go; take care of yourself. I'll be fine," she insisted. "No, Rach. I gave LeRoy my word that I would watch out for you," he avowed. "'Sides, I _like_ to take care of you," he admitted. Rachel blushed; Noah always looked out for her, even during the time when he was pelting her with slushies. "I'm very lucky to have you in my life," she admitted. "I'd kiss you, but one of us needs to stay healthy," she teased.

"Noah, you'll never guess who I…" Rachel's information was halted by the sudden presence of Jesse St. James. "Well look here," he interjected sarcastically, "if it isn't the delegation from Ohio. Hello, Puckerman," he offered. "St. James," Noah curtly responded, and sneezed again. "Bless you," Jesse offered; "Thanks," Noah replied. "Well, there goes my 'big announcement'," Rachel kidded. "Jesse transferred here from UA," she explained. Before they could say more, the chorus was being called back on stage. "That's me, Noah. We should be done in about 20 minutes, maybe less. Rest; I'll be back…" Rachel left with a wave goodbye, Jesse trailing behind her. Noah was less than pleased to see Jesse 'St. Jackass', but he seemed different, somehow; nothing Noah could put a finger on, but different. He figured Rachel would tell him later. She was a better secret-keeper than Kurt, but not by much.

The last business onstage was completed in short order, and Rachel was soon back at his side, now dressed in jeans and boots and wearing her jacket, ready to head for home. They began the walk back to the subway station; there was a slight chill in the air, but at 5:00 it was still relatively light out. "I know you're bustin' to tell me, Rach," Noah began. "What's up with 'St. Jackass'?" "Really, Noah, be kind," Rachel admonished, "you're acting like a jealous boyfriend."

"I'm not jealous," (much) he defended himself. "You have no need to be, anyway, Noah," Rachel placated him. "Jesse 'came out'," she explained. Noah wanted to laugh, but he knew it would be taken the wrong way. "I'm not surprised, actually, Rach," he admitted. "I always kinda wondered about that guy…guess there was a reason," he mused.

"Well, enough about Jesse," Rachel said, concluding the topic. "How did things go today?" Noah asked. "Oh, Noah, it was _wonderful_," Rachel gushed. "It felt so professional and…I don't know…it just felt _right_, like it's where I belong." Noah chuckled. "You can see your name up in lights, can't ya', Rach?" he teased. Rachel grinned sheepishly. "Yeah, some day, definitely," she agreed. "Dr. Greene was right, you know…" she remarked. "How so, Rach?" he inquired. "I have _a __lot_ to learn; more than I realized," she admitted. As she was speaking, Noah sneezed again. "Gesundheit," Rachel exclaimed. "Thanks," he replied. "Must be true, what you said," he commented. "Why is that, Noah?" she curiously responded. "I just sneezed; ya' know, 'sneezing on the truth'?" "That's just a silly 'old wives tale', Noah," Rachel cautioned. "Yeah, considering I heard it from my Nana, I'd say so," he joked.

One subway ride and a brisk walk later, they stood in front of Rachel's apartment building. "Now, go home, Noah, and take care of yourself," she ordered. "Yes, ma'am," he replied, coughing." "Call me when you get home, please," Rachel requested. "'K," he acknowledged, nodding his head as he walked off into the fading sunlight.

Rachel entered her apartment finding Kurt in the kitchen, his nose buried in a cookbook and his school books strewn on the coffee table. "Hi, Kurt!" Rachel greeted her roommate. "What're you doing?" "I found an easy recipe for vegetarian lasagna, and I decided to cook dinner tonight," he explained. "That sounds wonderful, Kurt," Rachel replied. "Thank you for making dinner."

Rachel dropped her dance clothes off in her room and had just settled on the sofa to read the next chapter in her textbook when her phone began playing "Sweet Caroline". Rachel grinned and answered the phone "Hi, Noah…you're home?…good…make yourself some soup and go to bed early tonight…yes, I know…no, you can skip working out tomorrow…the 'guns' are lovely, Noah, you can miss a day occasionally…yes…OK…yes…well, you get some rest and I'll see you tomorrow…I love you too…bye."

Kurt put dinner in the oven and stepped into the living room as Rachel was ending her call. "Was that Puck?' he inquired. "Yes," Rachel replied, smiling wistfully. "Is he still sick?" he asked. "Yes," she answered. "I've encouraged him to stay home and rest, but he won't listen," she complained. "There's no rehearsal on Wednesday, and he has an appointment after class. I think I'm going to go over there and make him some chicken soup," she decided. Kurt was surprised, asking "You know how to do that?" "Yes, Kurt, I do," she stated. "Both my Bubbe and Noah's Nana made sure I was competent in that regard before I left," she explained. Rachel giggled. "They think they're teaching 'Jewish Wife 101'; they mean well, even if they're a little obvious sometimes." Both roommates shared a momentary laugh, before Kurt asked, "How did rehearsal go today, Rachel?'

"Oh, Kurt, it was _so cool_!" she effusively answered. "Today they started blocking the whole show, and tomorrow chorus rehearsals begin." "Are you sorry you didn't get the lead?" Kurt tactfully inquired. "Believe it or not, Kurt, actually, no," she replied to a surprised Kurt. "It's a good vantage point to observe and learn. Being in the forefront wouldn't have afforded me this opportunity," she explained. "So you're good with it?" he verified. "Yes, Kurt, very good," she confirmed. "Being an understudy, even for somebody who never misses a performance, is enough for me, at least for now."

Rachel paused and smiled as if she had a secret to tell. "What is it, Rachel," Kurt asked, noticing her expression. "You'll never guess who's in the play, too, Kurt." "No idea, Rachel…now _spill_," Kurt insisted. "Jesse St. James," she stated, and Kurt's eyes widened. "O. M. G. Does Puck know?" he hurriedly asked. "Yes, they spoke briefly," Rachel explained. "How did he take it?" Kurt expectantly inquired. "Pretty well, once I explained that Jesse 'came out'." "I should've known," Kurt surmised. "He was a tad too 'metro' for a straight guy." Kurt paused and began to laugh. "Rachel, I don't know what it is about you, but that makes two guys who kissed you and realized they 'liked boys'. If Puck decides to 'come out', let me know; I wanna be a witness." "Kurt, if that happens, I promise you a ringside seat," she assured him. "I wouldn't count on it, though."


	22. Chapter 22

Chapter 22

Wednesday was a half-day at the high school that Jennifer attended. She wasn't sure of the reason, but she didn't care; freedom was freedom, after all, thank you very much. The elementary and middle schools were in session, leaving her with an afternoon unencumbered by the responsibility of watching her younger siblings, and, as the cliché goes, "idle hands are the devil's workshop". Her mother otherwise occupied, Jennifer decided now would be the perfect time to…snoop on Noah. Maybe there would be some clue in his room as to what would sway his attention in her favor. She extricated the key from her mother's key chain and snuck out of the house, stealthily opening the door to the other property and locking it quickly behind her.

Approximately 15 minutes after Jennifer's covert mission began, Mrs. Rosen answered her doorbell to find Rachel carrying a cloth "green bag", apparently filled with food. "Why, hello, Rachel," she greeted the girl. "What can I do for you on this lovely afternoon?" "Hi, Mrs. Rosen," Rachel greeted her. "I was wondering if you would be able to help me for a minute…" "Certainly, Rachel; what do you need?" she inquired, looking curiously at the groceries.

"Noah's under the weather, and I came to make him chicken soup," Rachel explained. Mrs. Rosen thought that was the sweetest thing she had heard in a long time, and she smiled as Rachel continued, "I would appreciate it if you'd let me in, and also point out the right things to use; I don't want to mess up your kitchen." "Of course, Rachel," she answered, "I'll be glad to show you which items are fleishig. Please come in for a minute while I get my keys."

Rachel entered the home and put her bag of groceries down. She had purchased a pullet (cut in eighths) for the soup, along with carrots, celery, parsley root, parsnips, an onion, and a bag of egg noodles. Mrs. Rosen returned with a puzzled expression on her face. "That's odd," she began, "I always have a key to the unit on my keychain, but I must have taken it off. Give me another minute, and I'll get a spare key from the office." She came back shortly, holding up the key. "Now we're in business; let's go," she instructed.

In the meantime, Jennifer was sitting on Noah's bed, taking a visual tour of his room. He had hung a few pictures on the wall: one that she assumed was his mother and sister, another of an older woman who must be his grandmother, a few group shots with other teenagers in cheesy costumes, surrounding different trophies, and one with him, Rachel, and presumably some of their friends in caps and gowns, apparently from graduation. There was a picture on the desk of Rachel, and although her instinct was to throw it away (or against the wall), she merely reached over and placed it face down on the desk. There was also a smaller picture of Noah grinning from ear to ear, holding a little blonde girl. _That must be his daughter_, she thought. As she studied the picture she wondered what it was like to be pregnant, and, moreover, what it felt like to _get_ pregnant.

Jennifer had just gotten off the bed to poke around further when she heard the front door unlock and the sound of women's voices. She tiptoed to the doorway and recognized the voices to be that of her mother and Rachel. _Oh Shit!_ Being on the third floor, she knew it was foolish to attempt to climb out of the window, especially since the room was at the front of the house. She moved back onto the bed, deciding to sit tight for a while and determine how to get out of her current predicament.

By now, Mrs. Rosen had shown Rachel which soup pot, utensils, etc. were (to be used) for meat. The two women were chatting as Rachel started getting ready to cook (i.e. pulling out the cookware she would need). Rachel, realizing that it would be pleasant to have some company, invited Mrs. Rosen to stay. Although the Rosens were respectful of their tenants, Mrs. Rosen had stepped up as a surrogate mother when needed, sharing an afternoon over a cup of tea and providing an ear and a willing parental presence. As such, she knew they would not consider her being there a breach of protocol, and since she had no pressing personal matters, she welcomed the opportunity to become better acquainted with Rachel, and she put up water for tea.

While Rachel was prepping the vegetables, Mrs. Rosen commented, "It's refreshing to see a young woman like you making chicken soup; most girls either open a can, call the deli, or leave it to their bubbe." Rachel chuckled and replied," Both my Bubbe and Noah's Nana have been instructing me in traditional cooking for a while, especially the past six months. Like I told Kurt the other day, it's their un-subtle way of teaching 'Jewish Wife 101'." Both women shared a laugh, and Rachel continued, "I don't think Noah has caught on, so far. He just thinks his Nana is looking out for him." "Do you think he would mind if he knew?" Mrs. Rosen inquired. Rachel blushed and smiled demurely, replying quietly, "Actually, no, I don't."

Rachel had completed peeling and slicing the vegetables and was about to begin getting the chicken ready. The look on her face was a mixture of grim determination and disgust, and Mrs. Rosen said, "You know, dear, it's only chicken." Rachel sighed. "I know. It's still hard for me to handle meat." She chuckled, recalling, "When Noah's Nana was showing me how to make roast chicken, Noah laughed so hard she kicked him out of her condo." "If you'd like, Rachel, I'll be happy to do that for you," Mrs. Rosen offered. "Thank you, I appreciate it, but I can do this," Rachel replied. "After all, not everybody shares my dietary restrictions." Mrs. Rosen nodded her head in understanding

As Rachel executed the steps of making homemade chicken soup, the two women passed the time chatting about a myriad of topics, some personal and others superficial. It suddenly dawned on Rachel that this must be what it's like to spend time with your mother. Rachel began, "Mrs. Rosen, I can't tell you how much I'm enjoying this." "Making the soup, Rachel?" the woman inquired. "No, spending time with you," she answered. "Why, thank you, dear; I'm very flattered," Mrs. Rosen sincerely replied.

"You see," Rachel admitted, "I never had a mother to do this with; you know, just spend time together. My dads are great, don't get me wrong," she clarified, "but it's not the same." "Didn't you mention once that you knew your mother?" Mrs. Rosen asked. "Yes, I did, and I do…sort of," Rachel replied. Mrs. Rosen looked puzzled. "My mother was hired as a surrogate by my dads and she wasn't supposed to contact me until after I turned 18," Rachel explained. "She saw me perform at a show choir competition sophomore year and decided she wanted to meet me, so she manipulated one of her students to pursue me romantically and then lead me to her." Mrs. Rosen was taken aback, but said nothing. Rachel continued, "once I met her, she realized I wasn't a little girl, and wouldn't fill an apparent void in her life, so she…" Rachel paused, averting her eyes, as this was never easy to admit, "…rejected me, saying I was grown up and didn't need her." "I'm so sorry, Rachel," Mrs. Rosen consoled her.

"Ironically," Rachel continued, "Noah had impregnated Quinn, one of the girls at school, and she didn't want to keep the baby." Rachel looked at Mrs. Rosen, who didn't react to her last statement. "Shelby, that's my birth-mother, adopted the baby directly from the hospital," Rachel explained. She smiled ruefully. "Our lives are a 'soap opera'; my mother is raising my boyfriend's illegitimate daughter, whose birth-mother is now one of my closest friends. Anyone who thinks nothing ever happens in Lima, Ohio is _seriously_ mistaken."

The afternoon progressed as the soup cooked and Jennifer had long fallen asleep while waiting for her mother and Rachel to leave. Rachel had already prepared some egg noodles and refrigerated them; they would be added to the soup as desired and heated up at that time. She had checked the soup and determined that the chicken was cooked through, indicating that the soup was done. As she was removing the chicken from the pot and placing it into a bowl, the door opened, someone announcing their presence by sneezing loudly.

"Wow, even with this cold, it smells awesome in here; just like my Nana's kitchen!" he called out. "Rach, are you in there?" he queried. "Yes, Noah, I'm in the kitchen with Mrs. Rosen," Rachel replied. "Hi, Noah!" Mrs. Rosen said, confirming her presence. Noah entered the kitchen to find Rachel removing the vegetables from the soup, draining the liquid back into the pot and placing the vegetables in a separate dish for storage. "Baby, you did this for me?" he exclaimed. "This is _so awesome_; thank you!" "Noah, I love you, but please don't get too close," Rachel gently admonished as he approached. "I have to stay healthy."

"I can see that 'Master Yoda' and 'Obi-Wan' have trained you well, little 'Jedi'," Noah teased. "If you mean my Bubbe and your Nana, then, yes, they have," Rachel agreed, "although I'm not sure how much they would appreciate the 'Star Wars' analogy". They smiled at each other, saying nothing, as if sharing something that Mrs. Rosen couldn't identify. "Noah, go upstairs and get comfortable; maybe take a hot shower or something," Rachel instructed. "When you come back down, I'll give you a bowl of soup…lots of vegetables and some cut up chicken, just how you like it." Noah grinned. "With lokshen?" he asked, hopefully. Rachel laughed, replying, "Yes, Noah, I boiled some noodles; you'll have your lokshen, too." "Baby, you're the best!" Noah exclaimed admiringly. "I'll be back in a few. Love ya'!" Rachel blushed, smiling softly as Noah exited the kitchen and began climbing the stairs to the third floor.

* * *

**Author's Notes**: "Fleishig" is the Yiddish term pertaining to meat and meat products. In a Kosher kitchen, meat and dairy ("milchig") are maintained separately, i.e. separate dishes, flatware, cookware, etc.

Lokshen is the Yiddish term for egg noodles.

Wonder what happens next…


	23. Chapter 23

Chapter 23

Noah entered his bedroom, lost in his thoughts (about how best to _physically_ show Rachel his appreciation, once he was over this damn cold). He hastily put down his things and was about to get some clean sweats and head for a shower when he noticed something moving, and his eyes immediately focused on his bed. "What the _FUCK_?" he shouted. "What the Hell are _YOU_ doin' here?" he asked a suddenly roused Jennifer. As her eyes focused, she saw the object of her desire with a look of incredulity rather than delight on his face, and she burst into tears.

Noah felt outraged that this girl had trespassed in his room and invaded his privacy. For once, a crying female had no impact on him. "You can cut the water-works, little girl. Get off my bed _NOW_ and march your ass downstairs," he ordered. Jennifer felt humiliated; here was the man of her dreams, up close and personal, calling her a "little girl" and definitely _not_ pleased to see her. This was certainly not the outcome she had anticipated, which was, basically, making a clean get-away and not getting caught…and long term, figuring out a way to "hook up". "Noah, are you OK? What's going on?" Rachel called out from the base of the steps. Mrs. Rosen entered the hallway in time to see her daughter descending the steps in her own unique "walk of shame", with Noah angrily bringing up the rear.

"Jennifer Michelle Rosen, what were you doing up there?" her mother demanded. Jennifer began sobbing hysterically, running into her mother's arms. "I found 'Goldilocks' here sleeping in my bed," an agitated Noah explained. "Now, if you'll excuse me, I'm gonna take a shower." He turned sharply and went back upstairs, leaving a startled Rachel and an angry Mrs. Rosen to deal with the crying girl.

Mrs. Rosen escorted Jennifer to the kitchen table and motioned that she sit down. Rachel procured a box of tissues and a bottle of water, giving them to the girl as she joined them at the table. "Jennifer," her mother sternly began, "I warned you that if you didn't drop your fixation on Noah there would be consequences." Jennifer looked up worriedly. "You can consider yourself off the cheerleading squad. I'm calling your coach as soon as we get back home." "Mommy, _that's_ _not_ _fair_," she wailed. "Young lady, what's not fair is you stalking that young man. Invading his privacy…" Mrs. Rosen, by now quite exasperated, was temporarily at loss for words.

"Jennifer, if I may say something," Rachel gently interjected, and Jennifer glanced curiously at her. "Whether or not Noah pursued a relationship with you, if your parents even thought that he had, they could have him arrested. He would loose his scholarship and could go to jail or prison. The stigma would follow him for the rest of his life; how would you feel about that?" she inquired. Jennifer had never considered anything beyond her romantic fantasies. "Even if we really _liked_ each other?" she asked, tears continuing to fall. "Even then," Rachel confirmed. "He's legally an adult and you're not."

Jennifer sighed. "The boys at my school are so dorky. And the cute guys only want the hot girls." She started crying again. "I really like him, Mommy." "Jennifer, you hardly know him," her mother wisely replied. "He's a very handsome young man, it's understandable. He's also in a serious relationship with Rachel. Did you ever take that into consideration?" Jennifer looked sadly at Rachel. "I thought if I could get him to like me, you would just, like, go away or something." Rachel smiled gently. "Jennifer, I'm only a couple of years older than you, but one thing I've learned is that you can't force anybody to like you; either they will or they won't, and it's OK, regardless." Jennifer's tears subsided slightly and she looked carefully at Rachel.

"I had a huge crush on this boy when I was your age, and I used to follow him around like a lost puppy. When he asked me out, I thought it was the answer to my prayers." She smiled nostalgically, remembering her time with Finn. "I kept changing myself to try and please him, so much so that I lost 'me' for a while. The point is, a forced relationship never works out in the end." "What Rachel is saying," her mother explained, "is that some day, you'll meet a boy who likes you for yourself, and you won't need to cook up elaborate schemes to try to gain their attention; it'll happen organically."

"All things being said," her mother sternly continued, "what you did was beyond wrong. In addition to leaving the cheerleading squad, you will be grounded through the end of the month." "But Maaaaa…" Jennifer whined. "Seriously, young lady, what were you thinking? Talk about pressing charges; _you_ were 'breaking and entering'. Be glad we don't pull you out of public school altogether and send you to that Orthodox all-girls high school." Her mother paused for a moment. "Your father will also need to weigh in on this subject. He may have some additional restrictions in mind. Now, go home and wait in your bedroom until we call you."

Jennifer's head was cast down in shame and she was still sniffling as she left the unit. Mrs. Rosen faced Rachel. "I apologize on my daughter's behalf, Rachel. What she did was inexcusable." "Thank you, Mrs. Rosen," Rachel responded. "You know," she said thoughtfully, "we all have unrequited feelings for somebody at one point or another." "That's true," her mother agreed, "but her behavior was simply not appropriate." She sighed wearily. I don't know what we can do to make it up to Noah." "You don't have to do anything for me, Mrs. Rosen," Noah answered as he entered the room. "You might wanna consider some therapy for her, though," he considerately suggested. "It really helped me after I got out 'a Juvie."

"That's an excellent idea, Noah. Thank you for being so understanding," Mrs. Rosen acknowledged. "I don't know if I would be as forgiving if the tables were turned." She embraced Noah, and then Rachel. "Rachel, thank you for a lovely afternoon; I truly enjoyed spending time with you. Now, if you will excuse me, I must take care of my recalcitrant daughter." Mrs. Rosen saw herself out of the unit, and shortly thereafter entered her own home.

"Boy, that was some unexpected drama!" Noah observed. "She's a troubled girl, that's apparent," Rachel admitted. "What can I say, I'm just a 'babe magnet'," Noah teased and flexed his biceps. Rachel smiled, although admitted "That's not funny, Noah. Thank goodness she's harmless," Rachel concluded. "True," he agreed. "I've seen whacko; remember last year when Quinn dyed her hair pink?" he asked. "Yes, I seem to recall that," Rachel acknowledged.

"Speaking of Quinn, I talked with her this morning after class," Rachel mentioned as she prepared Noah's soup. "How is 'Baby Mama'?" he asked, curiously. Rachel rolled her eyes; would he never drop that nickname? "She's well, Noah. She likes her classes, but life in a girls' dorm apparently isn't that great. She hinted about coming in town for a visit after mid-terms are over, so I'll have to touch base with Kurt and find out if that's OK with him." "Why wouldn't it be?" Noah queried. "He'll probably be fine with it," she explained. "It's his home, too, Noah, and I wouldn't invite somebody to stay over without his consent."

As promised, Rachel prepared a bowl of soup for Noah. She had added back some of the cooked vegetables into the broth, as well as some chicken and noodles. Noah tasted it and grinned from ear to ear. "Rachel, this is as good as my Nana's soup; thank you!" "You're welcome, Noah," she replied. "Please enjoy it and get well. We'll figure out what to freeze over the weekend." "Freeze?" he inquired. "Yes, unless you and the boys can finish it within the week." "Who says I'm sharing?" he teased. "That's up to you, of course, but it would be the nice thing to do," she gently reminded him.

"In any case, I've got to be going," Rachel admitted. "I have two papers to write and we have a test on Friday." "Rach, I'll walk you home," Noah offered. "Noah, you're fighting a cold," she reminded him. "Stay and eat your soup. It's only six blocks." "Bullshit," he vehemently stated, "You're not walking home alone." Dave, who had just returned from his afternoon classes, was looking hungrily in the direction of Rachel's pot of soup. "Hey, Dave, buddy," Noah began. "Yeah, Noah?" Dave replied. "Would you mind taking Rachel home?" he asked. "I'll have a hot bowl of soup waiting for ya'…" Dave grinned hungrily. "Of course, bro," he acquiesced happily, "I'll be glad to. C'mon, Rachel, let's get you home."

"Thank you, David," Rachel accepted, and proceeded to gather her things up. "Call me when ya' get home, Baby," Noah requested. "I will, Noah," Rachel agreed. "Thanks again for the soup, Rachel!" he again acknowledged her effort. "It was my pleasure, Noah. Please get well soon." Rachel and Dave left almost immediately for the short trip to her apartment. As promised, when he returned, there was a steaming bowl of chicken soup waiting for him. After all, few things are better to a hungry Jewish boy than a bowl of home-made chicken soup.

* * *

**Author's Note**: So, what do you think…Did the punishment fit the "crime"? Does she need to formally apologize to Noah?


	24. Chapter 24

Chapter 24

By Saturday, Noah was feeling considerably better, likely thanks due in part to his "Kosher penicillin". There was an early practice called for Saturday, leaving Rachel unable to attend services. She was at the rehearsal hall by 9 AM, sipping a cup of decaf tea and highlighting important passages in her textbook when somebody plopped down in the seat next to her. "Good morning, Rachel!" the person said. Rachel looked up from her textbook. "Oh, hi, Cindy! Good morning!," Rachel replied. "Seems like we're the first ones here," Cindy observed. "Yeah, I guess so," Rachel commented. "I wanted to be here early so I could get some homework done before we start." "Tell ya' what…" Cindy began with a grin, "let's go inside and warm up, maybe sing a little…have some fun before the rehearsal begins." Rachel smiled broadly, her face beaming. "You don't have to ask me twice, Cindy. Lets' go!"

The girls entered the room, placed their belongings on a couple of nearby chairs, and made their way over to the piano. "Rachel, I'd love to hear you sing 'Impossible/It's Possible'. I'll be Cinderella," she said with a wink. "Are you sure, Cindy?" Rachel queried. "Wouldn't you rather work on your part?" "No, this'll be fun; it keeps me fresh and gives you a chance to practice," she replied. "Besides, you never know…maybe I'll elope with the mailman or something," Cindy teased, winking again.

They ran through the song once without stopping. "Wow, Rachel, you do have quite a voice," Cindy complemented. "Thank you, Cindy," Rachel modestly replied. "Coming from you, I take that as a huge complement." "I do have a suggestion, though…" Cindy thoughtfully interjected. "What would that be, Cindy?" Rachel asked, genuinely interested in the older girl's feedback. "Think about it: nobody believes in magic. Cinderella is daydreaming about how great it would be if her godmother had some special 'powers'. She does, and the audience is in on it." "Go on," Rachel encouraged. "I mean, it's kind of ridiculous that anybody has magical powers, but, here she is, and she does. You can play to that; not over the top, but convey that you realize that it's silly and fantastic and special, not just that you're singing well together. Relax and be in the moment."

"Thanks, Cindy, I never thought about that," Rachel commented. "I always focus on the technical aspects, and I hadn't considered the audience's perspective." "This is a live performance; audience engagement can make or break a show," Cindy wisely observed. "You want them to suspend their disbelief and come along for the ride." "That's so true. Thank you Cindy," Rachel acknowledged her mentor. "Can we try it again?" "Sure," Cindy replied. "I think we have time for one more go-round before everybody starts filing in."

True to her prediction, people started entering as soon as they had finished their second run-through. "That was much better, Rachel," Cindy observed. "Thanks, Cindy, for everything," Rachel sincerely replied. "How about lunch, later?" Cindy suggested. "There's a café not too far from here where the food is good , the prices are low, and the coffee is _heavenly_." "Sounds perfect, Cindy; I'd love to," Rachel accepted. Rachel turned to pick up her things and move them where the rest of the chorus was congregating. She saw Jesse, smiled, and waved. Although he returned the gesture, there was a distance in his demeanor that she hadn't noticed before. Since she had better things to do than contemplate Jesse St. James' moodiness, she put it out of her mind and focused on the rehearsal.

By the time noon had rolled around, Rachel was both exhilarated and weary. She had taken what Cindy had said to heart; even in her chorus position, she interacted with the other people as if there really was a prince who was giving a ball, rather than just singing a song well and remembering the words. It seemed to have a ripple effect, as the majority of the chorus members performed similarly. By the time the lunch break was called, the vocal coach had commended them on how well they worked together.

The two girls headed out to lunch, making small talk and getting to know each other better. The restaurant was only a block or so from campus, and they were able to be seated immediately, ordering their lunches shortly thereafter. They had just begun a discussion of favorite shopping websites when Rachel again spied Jesse off to the side. She turned around to wave; in effect, announcing her presence, when she noticed that he had a luncheon companion: Shelby Corcoran.

Rachel turned back quickly, her face pale and expression changed. "What's the matter, Rachel," Cindy concernedly inquired. "Nothing…well…you know that guy, Jesse?" Rachel asked. "Barely," Cindy replied. "Isn't he the town crier or something?" "Yes," Rachel answered. "You see, the person he's eating with, well…she's somebody I know." "She seems a little old for him," Cindy commented. "It's not a date, I'm certain of that," Rachel averred. "She's my birth mother, and we don't have the best relationship," Rachel explained. Cindy was surprised, but, being an actress, did not let it show. "What're you going to do, Rachel?" she politely inquired. "Go and say 'hello'; after all, it's the polite thing to do," Rachel concluded. "Excuse me a minute; I'll be right back."

With all the courage she could muster, Rachel arose and determinately walked toward the table where Jesse and Shelby were conversing. Shelby's back was to Rachel, so she was unaware of her presence in the restaurant. "Hi, Jesse…Shelby," Rachel interrupted them. Jesse wasn't sure whether to be amused or concerned. He knew first-hand of their troubled past; he also perceived a change in Rachel in the short time he had interacted with her, and he had no idea what direction their conversation might take. "Well, hello, Rachel; how are you?" Shelby politely inquired.

"I'm well, and you?" Rachel graciously countered. "Fine, thank you, Rachel," Shelby replied. "How's Beth? Is she with you?" Rachel asked. Shelby smiled wistfully, replying "She's great, thank you, and no, she's with my family right now." "In Columbus?" Rachel pointedly asked a startled Shelby. "Y…yes," she sputtered, "how did you know?" Rachel smiled; an inscrutable smile that she had learned by observing Nana Connie. "Noah and I ran into your sister a few months ago in a park in Columbus. Apparently, she was babysitting Beth, who recognized Noah." "Noah?" Shelby queried. "Yes, you know, 'Puck'," Rachel air-quoted, continuing immediately, "Beth's biological father?" Rachel said with a mildly sarcastic tone, pausing briefly for dramatic effect.

From Rachel's demeanor, Shelby realized that her daughter was aware of her attempted liaison, and she blushed at the recollection. "Noah and I have been together for six months now, Shelby," she stated, smiling happily, and looking Shelby squarely in the eyes as if she was searching for her soul. "I know he would sincerely appreciate it if he could spend time with Beth. Do you think you'll be in Columbus for Thanksgiving or over the holidays?" Rachel was determined to put her request "out there" before Shelby had a chance to protest. "We'd be happy to drive down from Lima to spend some time with her." "I...I don't know, Rachel; it depends where I get a job," Shelby evasively answered.

"Well, if you find something in New York, please let us know, too; it would mean a great deal to Noah to visit with her," Rachel said politely (yet relatively emotionlessly). Shelby had a disconcerted look on her face; clearly, she didn't know what to do. "I'll think about it, Rachel," she replied. "Thank you, Shelby. Please let us know. You may contact Noah at 'NPuckerman at n-y-u dot e-d-u' if you're able to arrange it," Rachel said matter-of-factly. "If you'd prefer, you may email me, instead: 'RBerry at n-y-u dot e-d-u'," she added.

Jesse was enjoying the performance that had unfolded before him. Shelby, who usually was in command of every situation, was clearly taken aback. Rachel, on the other hand, had always sought out her mother's approval; this time, she apparently didn't care about it or need it. Rachel had played advocate for her absent boyfriend, possibly at the expense of whatever feelings she may have harbored, and he was truly impressed; it appeared that Rachel was more of an adult than his former mentor.

"Well, it was nice to see you, Shelby," Rachel politely commented. "Jesse, I'll see you back at rehearsal." Rachel smiled, then turned and walked back to the table, where Cindy waited patiently. "What was that all about?" she curiously inquired as Rachel seated herself. Rachel sighed. "It's a long, somewhat bizarre story," she answered truthfully, looking at her watch. "Unfortunately, we don't have the time to do it justice." She smiled at Cindy. "Let's finish our lunch, and I'll touch on the high-points on our way back to rehearsal." Cindy was looking forward to the discussion; obviously, there was a lot more to Rachel than she had anticipated.

* * *

**Author's Note**: Apparently, email addresses, even bogus ones, aren't able to be saved, so I did the best I could... :-)


	25. Chapter 25

Chapter 25

By the end of the afternoon, everybody seemed to know the lyrics, and the choreography was beginning to flow more smoothly. The group was dismissed by 3:30, and Rachel was gathering her things together when Jesse approached her. "You really shook her up, Rachel," Jesse revealed. "I don't see how, Jesse; all I did was ask permission for Noah to visit Beth. He's certainly done that before," she calmly explained. "I think it was the whole 'seeing Beth in Columbus' thing, like her 'own little corner', to borrow a phrase from the play, was usurped by the two of you," he speculated. "That's ridiculous, Jesse," Rachel countered. "We were visiting our grandparents for the weekend and sitting in a public park on a Saturday afternoon; that's hardly stalking."

Rachel considered her next words carefully. "If you'd like, you may report back to her that we didn't let on who we were; her secret that she actually has a grown biological daughter is still safe." "I…I don't understand," Jesse replied. "Her sister mentioned, in passing, mind you, that Shelby had no children prior to adopting Beth. They have no idea that I exist," she enlightened him. "Gee, Rachel, I'm really sorry," Jesse apologized. "You have nothing to apologize for, Jesse," Rachel responded, smiling gently. "You had nothing to do with it. I finally realized that Shelby enabled me to have a great family, and I really don't need her in my life the way I thought I did."

"What will you do if she decides to let Puckerman visit?" he inquired. "It's Noah, Jesse, although you may call him 'Puck'; most of our friends still do," she clarified. "Most likely, I'll go with him. He considers us a 'package deal', and, quite frankly, so do I." "And you'd be OK visiting?" he asked. "Of course," she answered, "As well as being Noah's daughter, Beth is my sister, whether Shelby ever tells her, or anybody, for that matter." She paused reflectively. "Besides, we would focus our attention on Beth, anyway. At least for the present, neither of us has too much to say to Shelby." "I've gathered that," Jesse observed.

"Well, this has been an interesting conversation, but I do need to be heading home. Have a great weekend, Jesse," Rachel offered. "You, too, Rachel; see you next week," Jesse countered.

* * *

Rachel was weary by the time she arrived at home. Although she was enjoying the process of learning the routines, it was physically tiring; add an encounter with Shelby into the mix, and the result was a very long day. Noah would be arriving about 6:00, bringing Chinese take-out for the three of them. Kurt had planned on going out afterward with some of his friends from school, leaving Rachel the apartment for the evening.

Rachel had been working on (yet another) paper (don't they ever end?) when her cell phone ring tone began playing "Material Girl". Rachel answered the phone "Hi, Quinn!" "Hi, yourself, Rachel," Quinn replied. "How are you?" "Tired," Rachel admitted. "Long rehearsal…we learned the songs and choreography today." "You should be used to that, with glee and all," Quinn suggested. "Try glee club on _steroids_," Rachel laughingly retorted. "How many performances will there be?" Quinn asked. "Eight in all," Rachel explained. "Friday night, Saturday matinee and evening, and Sunday matinee; performances are the weekends before and after Thanksgiving. Then we have finals," she concluded.

Kurt wandered into the living room and looked at Rachel inquisitively, who mouthed "Quinn" to him as she was listening on the phone. Kurt waved, and Rachel interjected "Kurt says 'hi'." Quinn replied "Hi, Kurt." "She says 'hi' back," Rachel indicated, putting her hand over the speaker part of the cell phone. "Tell her I'm looking forward to seeing her, and find out if she can come the last weekend of the month," Kurt instructed. Rachel's expression changed from tired to excited. "Quinn, Kurt suggested that you visit the weekend before Halloween. There's a club here where the Arts' students hang out; everybody dresses up for Halloween, and the theme this year is 'Rocky Horror'…Quinn, it'll be _so cool_; you _have_ to come!"

Quinn chuckled at Rachel's immediate mood switch and childlike enthusiasm. "OK, Rachel, I'm sold," she accepted. "It sounds like fun; better than anything I've heard about here so far, at least." Quinn began laughing. "Seeing Puck all dressed up will be worth the price of admission, alone," she admitted. Rachel frowned a bit. "He's being a real 'party pooper' about the whole thing," she declared. "He said he'll be 'Eddie', but that's it; no fishnets or drag queen makeup, unless…" Rachel abruptly stopped herself. "Unless what, Rachel?" Quinn curiously interjected. "Um, nothing, Quinn," she replied, looking at Kurt out of the corner of her eye. He shook his head, thinking "_there she goes with those hypothetical babies again…truly crazy._"

"I think I'll dress up as 'Columbia'; this gives me plenty of time to put a costume together," Quinn decided. Rachel squealed. "Quinn, that's a great idea," she commented. "There are some really nice looking guys; they'll be sure to notice you dressed up like that." "That'll work," Quinn admitted, smiling slyly (which Rachel couldn't see, of course). "Just be sure to wear some nude colored tights; it'll be cold at night," Rachel advised. At that moment, the buzzer sounded, indicating Noah's arrival with dinner. As Kurt let him in, Rachel and Quinn ended their conversation, promising to talk again once Quinn had confirmed her travel plans.

"Thanks, Kurt; Hi, Baby!" Noah said as he entered the apartment. He put the food down on the kitchen table, then walked over to the couch, bent over, and kissed Rachel. "Hello, yourself, Noah," Rachel replied, smiling contentedly. "How was rehearsal today?" he inquired. "Good…fun…exhausting…educational…it was a long day, Noah, and quite interesting," she admitted. "In what way," he asked. "I went to lunch with Cindy, the girl I'm understudying," she began. "OK, so?" he prompted her. Rachel's expression changed, and she emotionlessly stated; "We ran into Jesse having lunch with Shelby." "Did you talk to them?" he carefully inquired.

"Yes," she admitted, "I specifically asked if we could visit with Beth if she's in Columbus for the holidays, or if she decides to move to New York." "How did she react…what did she say?" an extremely interested Noah queried. Rachel sighed. "Typical Shelby…she was evasive and non-committal. She also seemed extremely uncomfortable when I mentioned we had seen Beth in the park over the summer." Kurt had been listening intently and interjected, "I know this is none of my business, but what is her problem? You're her daughter, after all," he stated, looking pointedly at Rachel. "She went through that elaborate game to meet you, then rejected you, came back to spend time with you, didn't, and skipped town, yet again." Kurt shook his head. "I just don't get it," he concluded.

"You've hit the nail right on the head, Kurt," Rachel agreed. "It was a game. Shelby likes to play mind games, and I'm through with them," she avowed. "She never even told her family when she was pregnant; they don't know that I exist." Kurt was aghast, and it registered on his face, and Rachel's expression softened at his apparent concern. "Don't worry, Kurt, I've made peace with it," she reassured him. "I have a great family, already; if she doesn't want to be a part of it, that's her loss." Rachel smiled at Noah, continuing, "My only goal was to enable Noah to see Beth. I've stated my case to her, but she holds all the cards. As the song goes, 'what will be, will be'."

Changing the subject, Rachel exclaimed, "The food smells wonderful, Noah. What do we owe you?" "Nothing, Baby," he replied. Kurt quickly added, "No, Puck, I insist; I want to pay my share." "Thanks, guys, I appreciate it," Noah replied. "I've eaten a lot of meals here and, after the awesome chicken soup that Rachel made, this is the least I can do, so, don't worry about it." "Oh, yeah," Kurt recalled, "I remember you mentioning that, Rachel. How did the soup turn out?" Before Rachel had a chance to reply, Noah proudly stated, "It was so good that Dave said if I don't marry Rachel, he will." Rachel smiled shyly and blushed, and Kurt interjected, "But he's _gay_!" "Yeah, that's how good it was," Noah bragged. "Good enough to convince a gay guy to marry a woman." Rachel busted out laughing. "I wouldn't go that far, Noah; as long as you're feeling better, then I accomplished what I set out to do," she proclaimed.

As they were enjoying their dinner, Noah's cell phone began playing "Kung Fu Fighting". Rachel rolled her eyes and mouthed "racist" to Noah, who grinned and answered the phone "Hey, Chang; what's up?...Yeah, we're fine…You set up your interviews? Cool…When?...The 25th and 26th?...Yeah, call me later with your flight info…" Rachel was beaming, and Noah put down the phone, saying "What?" to Rachel. "Mike will be here for the Halloween party; ask him if he'll dress up as 'Frank N. Furter'," she instructed. Noah rolled his eyes and continued his conversation: "Yeah, Mike, that was Rachel…Yeah, she says 'hi', too…See, there's this Halloween thing…'Rocky Horror'…Yeah, dude, they already told me…_Seriously_? You would do that?...Well, props to you man…Sure, I'll tell her…Yeah, definitely lookin' forward to it…Later, bro…bye!"

Noah put his phone down, a look of astonishment on his face. "Mike said he'd do it, I didn't even have to ask him. Looks like you'll have your drag queen, Rach." Rachel and Kurt high-fived. Kurt observed "Inside every straight man is a drag queen just waiting to come out…of the closet." Noah rolled his eyes, and Kurt clarified, "Well, _almost_ every straight man."


	26. Chapter 26

Chapter 26

The steady pace of October seemed to accelerate with each passing day. The chill in the air increased and the sun descended earlier. There were research papers to write, chapters to read, and tests to take. Once the chorus had nailed down their music and choreography, their sessions were temporarily reduced to once a week while the principals honed their performances. Rachel, who had cancelled her tap class with the onset of rehearsals, volunteered to help with scenery and costumes. Since she had extremely limited experience, she primarily served as a gopher, occasionally being given the opportunity to sew on buttons or gather small props (well, she couldn't move furniture, after all ;-)). This not only enabled her to observe first-hand about the some of the more technical aspects of putting on a show, it also enabled her to meet more of her fellow classmates. She had decided to embrace what her advisor had described; after all, genuinely friendly relationships would enhance both her college experience as well as potential future career opportunities.

As they had done since they began studying together during junior year, Rachel and Noah would exchange papers for the other to review and edit, with Rachel providing the majority of the reviewing and editing. Even their brief time in college was having a profound effect on Noah's writing skills; Rachel noticed a significant improvement in his grammar coupled with an ever-expanding vocabulary. Not only were his papers well-written, but he was beginning to assist her with her assignments, as well. Rachel was quickly realizing that his demonstrated intelligence not only affirmed her unwavering belief in his abilities, it also was immensely sexually attractive.

Kurt was at school as the two sprawled about the apartment, each focused on their studies. Rachel glanced up from her book, finding Noah concentrating on his reading. He had removed his contacts earlier, opting for the glasses that he refused to wear in public, deeming them "not badass". The picture enthralled her, and she gazed upon him, lost in thought. Shortly thereafter, his concentration was broken and he looked at Rachel curiously. "Take a picture; it'll last longer," he playfully chided.

Rachel smiled seductively as she stood up and moved toward Noah; "You have no idea how sexy you look when you're studying," she commented. "Do I now?" he queried, raising one eyebrow and trying (unsuccessfully) to look serious. Rachel had reached her target, and she sat down, straddling his lap. "Those glasses…mmm, what can I say?" Rachel removed the glasses playfully, then teased, "Oh, my, look; it's 'Superman'." Noah grinned lasciviously. "Damn straight, Baby," he avowed before kissing her deeply. Once the kiss ended, she smiled contentedly, resting against him, her hand gently placed on his chest over his heart. She felt his arousal beneath her and their eyes met. "Time for a study break," he hurriedly said as he stood up, Rachel still attached, having hooked her legs around his waist. "Works for me," she admitted, initiating their kiss with fervor and unbuttoning his shirt with one hand, the other arm wrapped around his neck to steady her balance, as they made a swift beeline for her bedroom and closed the door.

* * *

Although midterms proved to be more intense than high school, they weren't as bad as the freshmen had feared. Rachel felt considerably more confident about college, now, and had decided to look for a part-time job for the winter semester. She knew her dads would tell her not to bother and focus on school, but she enjoyed the feelings of independence and empowerment that her summer job had provided (not to mention the income, however modest) and was determined to make some contribution to her own upkeep. Noah was cautiously optimistic that he could fit in band practice and some weekend gigs and was planning on calling that guy Craig (who had approached him in Callbacks) after Thanksgiving.

Rehearsals picked up again, now onstage rather than in practice rooms. Costumes had been assigned and fitted, and, although not fully dressed for a performance, the cast wore some pieces; for example, the girls in long skirts, to help them get used to performing in the unfamiliar attire. Rachel was truly enjoying being part of the chorus and no longer regretted not being a featured performer. She and Jesse had worked through their "Shelby" issues and were on the road to becoming friends. And, as often as possible, Noah waited for her after classes and escorted her home from rehearsal.

Rachel had come to anticipate to his presence at a certain time and felt concerned when, one evening in late October, he was not seated toward the back of the auditorium, reading a textbook. The cast was dismissed and Rachel left the stage to change, worried about what had prevented Noah's usually timely arrival. She exited the changing room in her street clothes and was preparing to send him a text when she was grabbed from behind by somebody placing their hands over her eyes.

"Noah, this isn't funny; I was worried about you," Rachel scolded. The laughter that rang out was not Noah's, but it was very familiar… "Michael?" she happily cried out; he released his hands, enabling her to turn around and envelop him in a fierce hug. "Surprised, Baby?" Noah teased. "Yes, I am; why didn't you tell me?" she happily replied. "There was a last-minute flight change," Mike explained, so I came in tonight instead of tomorrow. You looked great up there, Rach," he commented. "You _saw_ me?" she responded incredulously. "Where were you sitting?" "We'll never tell," Noah replied with a chuckle. "Just consider that one of Chang's 'Ninja skills'."

Rachel rolled her eyes and linked arms with Mike. "Michael, tell me about Joffrey," she requested as the three friends walked toward the subway station. "The dance program is awesome, Rachel; it's really intense, and I'm learning a lot," he replied. "Otherwise, I'm bored," he stated, deflatedly. "It's truly a dance academy, and I finally figured out that I need more. That's why I'm here," he concluded. "You have interviews at NYU and Juilliard?" she inquired. "Yeah, Juilliard on Thursday and NYU Friday," he explained. "I sent in videos of my work, so I don't need to audition, at least, not right now."

"Yeah," Noah interjected, "tomorrow Mike's gonna sit in on our classes, just to get an idea of what it's like at NYU." "You picked a good day, anyway," Rachel offered. "We don't have any tests tomorrow, so you can audit." "I never realized that I'd miss the academic side," Mike admitted. "My dad is beyond happy that I chose this path on my own; a well-rounded education is extremely important to him, and I guess it is to me, too," he concluded.

"And you'll come with us to Callbacks for Halloween," Rachel stated, grinning from ear to ear. "Yeah, Rachel, I'm cool with it," he replied. "Now's my chance to do what I wasn't able to in high school." "What's that?" Noah inquired, "dress up like a drag queen in downtown Manhattan?" "It's only a costume, Puck," Mike explained. "My parents wouldn't let me junior year, and I thought it would be fun, so, why not?" "Well, better you than me, bro; that's all I can say," Noah replied with a smirk. "At least you have the legs for it," he teased.

After 20 minutes on the subway and a short walk, Rachel, Noah, and Mike found themselves at Rachel's and Kurt's apartment building. "Michael, you have to come up and say 'hi' to Kurt," Rachel suggested. "OK," he replied with a grin, "It'll be great to see him." They ascended the stairs and walked to the door, where Rachel turned the lock to let them in. "Kurt, I have a surprise for you!" she called out. "What is it?" he queried as he emerged from his bedroom where he was apparently studying.

"O.M.G. Michael Chang!" Kurt was, indeed, surprised. "Mike, it's great to see you," he said, walking up to Mike where the two young men hugged. "Same here, Kurt," Mike replied. "I understand you're considering transferring to New York," Kurt commented. "Yeah, that's the plan," Mike replied. "I guess I want more out of my college experience than dance training." "That's commendable, Mike," Kurt acknowledged, "and it makes a lot of sense. I hope you decide to move here." "Yeah, you'll increase the 'Ohio Delegation' by one," Noah teased. "'Ohio Delegation'?" Mike queried.

"That's what Jesse calls us," Rachel explained. "Jesse…as in St. James?" Mike incredulously asked. "Yes, he transferred to NYU," Rachel confirmed. "And Puck is _quoting_ him?" he continued. "Yeah, he's not as bad as he was in high school," Noah commented. "Puck's getting along with Jesse now because he 'came out' and isn't competition," Kurt explained. "He never was; there _is _no competition" Rachel admitted with a shy smile. "Come 'ere Baby," Noah requested, taking Rachel's hand and pulling her close for a kiss. Mike looked on bemusedly. "Are they always like this?" he asked Kurt. "Pretty much," Kurt admitted, "yeah, pretty much."


	27. Chapter 27

Chapter 27

The four friends decided to go out to dinner to celebrate Mike's visit. Their first destination was Noah's apartment, where Mike would be 'crashing' on the sofa, which was also a pull-out bed. He dropped his duffel bag off and Noah introduced him to his roommates, being sure to mention that Ben was a dance major at Juilliard. Before they left for dinner, Noah decided to introduce Mike to the Rosens; he didn't want them to feel concerned when they saw an unfamiliar face on the property.

Noah rang the bell, Cantor Rosen answering shortly thereafter. "Hello, Noah…" he said, "…Rachel, Kurt," noticing the others. "To what do we owe this pleasant surprise?" "Cantor Rosen, I wanted to introduce my friend, Mike Chang," Noah replied. Mike extended his right hand in greeting, and he and the Cantor shook hands. "Nice to meet you, sir," Mike acknowledged the Cantor. "Same here, Mike," he replied. "Mike's going to be staying here for a couple of days," Noah explained. "He's visiting from Chicago and thinkin' about changing schools." "Well, we certainly have some wonderful universities in the area," the Cantor affirmed. "Why don't you all come in for a minute?" he kindly reached out.

"Thanks, Cantor," Noah acknowledged, "we appreciate it, but we don't want to intrude and we already have plans." "Well, in that case, you all must come Friday night for dinner," Cantor Rosen graciously invited. "Thank you, Cantor, that would be lovely," Rachel accepted, "but I have a girlfriend visiting for the weekend, as well, and we don't want to impose." "Nonsense, Rachel, the more the merrier," he generously replied. "Please bring her along." "Thank you, Cantor," Rachel accepted. "Please thank Mrs. Rosen, too, and tell her I look forward to seeing her." The Cantor smiled; "Of course, Rachel, I'll be happy to. See you all Friday at six," he amiably concluded, re-entering his home and closing the door.

The four friends left the duplex and walked a couple of blocks to a small Thai restaurant. Over dinner, they discussed experiences at their respective schools, adjusting to post-high school in general, and reminisced about glee club and life in Lima. Rachel listened patently while the boys mused over their high school athletic careers; both Mike and Noah had been All-State (Mike in track and Noah in baseball) their senior year, and, although Kurt's participation was limited, he had briefly played on the football team their sophomore year.

Rachel mentioned that she had spoken with Tina the other day: "She told me that they started rehearsals for 'Grease', and she's playing 'Jan'". Rachel paused and glanced at Mike to note his slight reaction to her name. "Yeah," he commented, "she mentioned it the last time we talked. She asked me to come in for a performance." "Are you going to?" Rachel asked. "Probably," Mike admitted. "I haven't been home since August, and my parents have been after me for a while to visit," he explained.

Rachel continued, "Apparently, Mr. Schue took a leave of absence to participate in some committee for 'the Arts' in Washington, and Mr. Figgins brought in Holly Holliday as a substitute." Both Noah's and Mike's faces broke out in grins as they recalled the comely teacher; Rachel rolled her eyes at their response. Kurt piped in "Yeah, Finn said as much the other day; he's volunteered to drive up from Columbus a couple of Fridays to help with the glee club."

Being a school night, dinner ended in short order and Noah and Mike walked Rachel and Kurt back to their apartment. After Noah and Rachel exchanged a tender good-bye, she entered her building, where Kurt was waiting, and Mike and Noah walked the six blocks back to the duplex. "You two seem really serious," Mike observed. "I think she's 'it' for me, bro," Noah replied. "I never thought I'd hear those words from you, especially concerning Rachel," Mike commented. "Yeah, I know, man; neither did I," Noah admitted.

"She always treated me like 'Noah', when nobody got past 'Puck'. If it wasn't for her, I wouldn't be here," he acknowledged, "and now, I can't imagine what it would be like without her," he concluded as they approached his Brooklyn home. Noah noticed a basketball that had apparently not been put away earlier and grinned, picking up the ball and tossing it to Mike. "We better change the subject before we grow vaginas or something," he said. Mike aimed at the net and tossed the ball, which went seamlessly through the hoop, bouncing on the ground before rolling onto the lawn. The boys high-fived, laughing as they entered the house, and shut the door behind them.

* * *

The remainder of the school week passed quickly. As at most colleges and universities during this time of year, the NYU campus was abuzz with talk of parties and costume contests. Rachel's last conversation with Santana had been interesting; Santana was unusually animated when discussion centered around the Halloween parties she was going to attend. Brittany and Tina were driving down for the weekend to get their first taste of college life; the three friends were going to be Christina Aguilera (Santana), Katy Perry (Brittany), and Lady Gaga (Tina). Santana had actually convinced Dave Karofsky to join them as Adele, and although Finn was invited to come along as Taylor Swift, he declined. Apparently, Santana had tried persuading Tina to wear a meat dress, which was resoundingly vetoed by both Tina and Brittany, as well as (according to Brittany) Lord Tubbington, who thought the "bubble costume" would be more suited to the occasion. Rachel had also heard from Tina (which she did not share with Santana), who was adamant that in no uncertain terms would her Halloween costume be dictated by a damn (her word, not Rachel's) cat.

There was no rehearsal on Friday, allowing Rachel and Noah go together to pick up Quinn at Grand Central Terminal. Rachel was noticeably excited; she had not seen Quinn since July and was looking forward to spending time with her friend from home. They watched the passengers disembark from the train, looking in vain for their blonde former teammate. "Rachel, are you sure this was the train?" Noah asked. "Yes, she told me 2:30 from New Haven, and this is the train…" Rachel was cut off in mid-sentence by a tap on the shoulder. She turned around to find an almost unrecognizable Quinn, sporting a flaming red bob and a large pair of sunglasses.

"Quinn!" Rachel cried out, and the girls embraced. Their hug ended, she turned to receive a less constricting one from Noah, who greeted her "Hey, 'Baby Momma'." Quinn pulled away, stating, "Puck, I wish you wouldn't call me that any more." "Why not?" he teased, "That's what you are." "Maybe so, but I'd prefer not share that with the rest of the world," she replied. "And, I'm sure Rachel would appreciate it, too," she added, deferring to Rachel's status as Noah's girlfriend. Rachel smiled and said nothing, effectively ending the topic.

"Quinn, what have you done with your hair?" Rachel curiously inquired. "It's really different, but I like it." Quinn laughed and explained "It's only temporary; I did it for Halloween, you know, 'Columbia' and all…" "Well, that's certainly getting into the spirit of things," Rachel admitted. "Yeah," Quinn agreed, "You know, 'don't dream it, be it'…I thought it would be fun to 'be it', at least, appearance-wise." Quinn laughed and Rachel confirmed, "Kurt will _love_ it. I'm sure he has your makeup all planned out already…you know Kurt."

Noah picked up Quinn's bag, and the three friends headed toward the subway station, sharing stories about their first weeks in college and away from home. They stopped off to purchase some flowers as a hostess gift for Mrs. Rosen, arriving at Rachel's and Kurt's apartment shortly thereafter, where Kurt was evidently not back from Pace as yet. Noah placed Quinn's bag in Rachel's bedroom and left after a quick kiss with Rachel and a promise to see them at dinner.

Once Noah had left, Rachel took Quinn on a tour of the apartment. "This is really nice, Rachel," she complemented. "Thanks, Quinn," Rachel replied. "Kurt doesn't know whether to call it 'Cast-off Modern' or 'Early Basement', since most of the furniture came from our families' basements or estate sales." "Well, I definitely see Kurt's flair for design," Quinn acknowledged, "as well as your eye for detail." Quinn mused for a moment before continuing, "It certainly beats the dorm by a mile…not that it's bad or anything, just…cramped, loud, and has _zero_ privacy. Next year, I'm getting into an apartment," she averred.

"So," Quinn began as she plopped down on the sofa, "what's up with you and Puck?" Rachel smiled gently and replied, "Things are good, Quinn. I can't complain." Quinn smiled in return. "He's so different, Rachel; he's calmer, more self-assured…he even carries himself differently," she commented. "Whatever you've done, it's certainly working." Rachel blushed and replied, "Honestly, Quinn, I haven't done anything; it's all Noah. He's doing well in school and he's proud of his accomplishments; he's dropped the "badass" façade and finally views himself the way I have all along. You're seeing Noah, not 'Puck'," she wisely explained.

Kurt returned home around the time Quinn was freshening up and Rachel was doing homework. "Is that the fabulous Ms. Fabray I hear? Kurt announced. The water ceased running in the bathroom sink and the door opened, Quinn emerging almost immediately. "O. M. G. Quinn Fabray, you look _fantastic_!" he exclaimed. "What have you done with your hair?" "It's only temporary, Kurt; just for Halloween," she clarified. "Well, you should consider keeping it for a while," he insisted. "Thanks, Kurt," Quinn replied, who by now had reached Kurt and given him a friendly hug. "Thanks for letting me stay here," she acknowledged. "It's my pleasure, Quinn," he replied. "It's always good to spend time with a friend from home. I suppose we should thank my dad, actually," Kurt commented. "After all, he donated the sofa bed."

Kurt and Quinn chatted, catching up on each other's lives, but all too soon it was time to get dressed for dinner. Although both Rachel and Quinn had opted for skirts, sweaters, and tights, it was apparent that college had changed their perspective on fashion. Rachel's penchant for plaid skirts and childish sweaters had been swapped for a more sophisticated charcoal pencil skirt and lightly beaded sweater, black tights, and black suede pumps. Quinn, when not dressed in a Cheerios uniform, selected either demure dresses or skirts with cardigans; tonight, she had opted for a black leather skirt and a vibrant purple tunic sweater, black tights, and ankle boots. Kurt looked admiringly at them and teasingly remarked, "Well, as the song says, you two have been changed 'for good'…at least fashion-wise."


	28. Chapter 28

Chapter 28

Rachel, Quinn, and Kurt put on their coats and left the apartment, locking the door behind them, for the six-block trek to the Rosens' duplex. There was a definite chill in the late October evening, which encouraged them to quicken their pace. Since moving to New York (and New Haven), walking had replaced driving as their primary mode of transportation, and they arrived at the home in short order and not out of breath in the slightest.

They were welcomed in by Mrs. Rosen, who greeted Rachel with a hug. "Mrs. Rosen, you remember Kurt…" Rachel said. "Yes, of course; it's nice to see you, dear," she greeted him. "And this is my friend, Quinn Fabray, who's visiting from Yale," Rachel introduced Quinn. "It's a pleasure to meet you, Quinn," Mrs. Rosen acknowledged. "Thank you for including us," Quinn replied, handing her the bouquet. "Thank you, children; these are lovely," Mrs. Rosen graciously accepted the flowers. "Come, Jenny, let's put these in some water." This was the first time Rachel had seen Jennifer since "the incident"; the girl made eye contact with no one, remaining in the background, whereas before, even if she didn't contribute much to the conversation, at least she attempted to be in the midst of the company rather than withdrawn and alone.

As Rachel introduced Quinn to the Rosens and Noah's housemates, there was a knock at the door. The Cantor left to greet his most recent guests, and in walked Noah and Mike. Quinn turned around to greet Noah and was happily surprised by the presence of her former glee club teammate. "Mike?" she cried out, "Oh my gosh, it's great to see you!" Quinn practically leapt out of her seat to envelop Mike in a hug. "Why didn't you tell me?" she happily inquired of Noah, who was standing nearby with his arm around Rachel's waist, the pair of them grinning from ear to ear (as was Kurt, who, of course, was in it, having initiated the idea). "We wanted to surprise you," Rachel explained. "So, are you?" Noah asked, "…surprised, that is."

"Yes, of course," Quinn replied with a giggle. Her attention refocused, she began, "Mike, what are you doing in New York?" As their conversation continued, Mrs. Rosen caught Rachel's eye and motioned subtly that she and Noah to follow her into the kitchen, which they did, hand in hand. Once inside and out of earshot from the rest of the group, they found a stern-looking Cantor Rosen and an apparently remorseful Jennifer, who embarrassedly looked at her feet rather than their guests.

"Jennifer, don't you have something you'd like to say to Rachel and Noah," her father prompted her. "Yeah…um…I'm really sorry for what I did." She looked up briefly to make the barest of eye contact with each of them in turn, and then looked down, again. "I'm sorry I went into your room, Noah; it won't happen again," she humbly offered. "Thanks, Jennifer," he replied, "I appreciate it, but please see that it doesn't." "Thank you, Jennifer," Rachel chimed in.

"Don't you have something else to say?" her mother prodded. Jennifer blushed slightly and responded with a resigned expression "Oh, yeah. My dad said that since being in the glee club was so good for you, he made me join, too. I'm now officially off the cheerleading squad and on the 'loser list' at school." Rachel and Noah exchanged a knowing glance. "Jennifer, it's not as bad as all that…" she began, but Noah interjected, "Don't let her kid you, kid; it is…but it's a lot 'a fun, too," he quickly added as he noticed the less-than-pleased expression on his girlfriend's face.

"This will leave Jenny with significantly less free time on her hands," her father explained. "I think I mentioned that I used to coach a show choir back when I was a teacher, so I have a good idea of what she's getting into." He looked at his daughter unsympathetically and continued, "And to make sure she stays out of mischief, either her mother or I will participate as chaperones on any off-campus competitions or overnight trips." A grin flickered across his face before regaining a mask of authority. "In fact," he stated, "if need be, I will be available to substitute as coach in their sponsor's absence."

Jennifer had been spared that fact up until now and paled, a mortified expression on her face. "You're kidding Daddy…aren't you?" she quietly offered. "No, I am not kidding, daughter," he said with certainty. Jennifer was too aghast to miss the twinkle in her father's eye; although he was extremely serious about what had transpired, he thought it would be fun to work with the kids, as well as potentially spend more time with his eldest, soon-to-be-out-of-the-house (well, in three or four years) daughter.

Apology offered and accepted, the involved parties rejoined the others in the living room. Dinner was served shortly thereafter, and, as usual, everybody had a lovely time.

* * *

**Author's Note**: Short and sweet; the next chapters are longer. Did the punishment fit the crime?

P.S. Jennifer is _probably_ in therapy (she would be if she was my kid ;-)), but they wouldn't share that…


	29. Chapter 29

Chapter 29

Noah picked Rachel up the next morning for Saturday services, while Kurt and Quinn were still sleeping (or, at least, pretending to do so). Upon their return, the apartment had changed from serene to almost manic as Kurt was running around, planning the final detail of their Halloween regalia. "There you are, Missy," he almost barked at Rachel, grabbing her hand. "Bye, Puck, see ya' la-ter…" Kurt said in a sing-songy voice as he grabbed Rachel's hand and pulled her away. She gave Noah a helpless look and shrugged her shoulders, to which he responded with a smirk and sly laughter as he removed himself from the semi-chaos that was swirling about, returning home to get some homework done before returning with dinner, Mike, and his own (un-)costume.

"Rachel, get undressed, we have _work_ to do," Kurt instructed in a demanding tone. She went into her bedroom, finding Quinn sitting on her bed laughing. "Thanks for getting home, Berry," she uttered sardonically. Better you than me; that's all I can say." Rachel removed the clothes she had worn to services, replacing them with yoga pants and a t-shirt, and exited her room. Kurt took one look at her and scolded, "Oh, no, Diva, nothing that you have to pull over your head. Please change _pronto_." Rachel removed the t-shirt, changing into an old plaid shirt of Noah's that she liked to wear when she was studying. It was soft from multiple washings over the years, so it was comfortable…and Noah loved to see her wearing it (preferably with nothing on underneath, but that's a story for another day).

Apparently, her choice of attire now met with Kurt's approval. The first thing he did was sat her down in the bathroom (on the closed toilet seat) and misted her hair with a spray bottle of water until it was quite damp. To emulate 'Magenta's' hairdo, they decided to braid Rachel's damp hair in multiple small braids; when taken out later, her hair would be full and wavy without having to tease it. While Rachel braided the front, Kurt busied himself with the back, until they were both finished. Rachel emerged from the bathroom to the sound of Quinn's laughter; "Wow, Rachel, now _there's_ a look!" she commented.

Rachel grabbed a yogurt for lunch and rejoined Quinn in her bedroom. "So, who all's coming tonight?" Quinn asked. "Well, you, I, and Kurt are 'Columbia', 'Magenta', and 'Riff-Raff'. "Mike's 'Frank N. Furter'…" Quinn gasped and began laughing again, then Rachel continued, "Noah's 'Eddie', and Ben and Candy…you met them last night…decided to go as two of the 'Transylvanians'. They'll be meeting us at Callbacks, as will Jesse and his boyfriend," Rachel said, pausing for a moment. "Jesse's dressing as 'Brad' and his boyfriend will be 'Janet'…pre bra and slip, I trust."

"Kurt, did you ever dress in drag?" Quinn asked playfully. "Well…since you asked, yes, once," he replied cautiously, entering the room and leaning against the doorpost. "Care to elaborate?" she teased. "Sure, if you insist," he agreed, looking at her curiously as she nodded her head and tried not to laugh. "Last year, Blaine and I went to a Halloween party that one of the guys from Dalton threw. I dressed up as 'Snooki' and Blaine was 'The Situation'." Both Rachel and Quinn were laughing at the thought of Kurt in a fake tan and long black wig. "Scoff all you want, ladies, we both looked fabulous," he proudly declared, "but I learned that drag's not for me. I may 'like boys'," he paused for effect, "but I don't enjoy wearing women's clothes. I guess every man has his limits." Kurt thought for a moment, then spoke again; "I respect Puck's choice to not be 'Frank N. Furter'; I wouldn't do it, either, not for a million dollars…well, maybe for a million dollars, but not a penny less," he concluded.

"Since we're on the subject, have I told you what Santana said?" Rachel asked. Quinn shook her head and Kurt replied, "If it's about Halloween, then no." "Brittany and Tina are driving down for the weekend. They're all dressing up as singers, and she convinced Dave Karofsky to join them…dressed as Adele." Quinn was flabbergasted; she couldn't imagine the burly ex-football player dressed like a female impersonator. Kurt, on the other hand, was more accepting. "I'm glad to see he's finally embracing who he is," he avowed before thoughtfully concluding, "Hopefully he won't get hit on by a bunch of drunken straight guys."

Rachel and Quinn organized their costumes on Rachel's bed for a final review by Kurt. Rachel's had been relatively easy to coordinate, being a maid's uniform; Quinn, on the other hand, had selected a more difficult character to portray. Through a combination of luck, determination, and flirting outrageously with a boy in the Yale Drama School (who just _happened to_ have access to the costume collection), she was able to put together a pretty good representation of "Columbia".

Noah returned at 5:00 with Chinese takeout in hand and Mike in tow, carrying their costumes. Kurt had already applied his wig, because he knew he would be busy helping the others get made up and doubted he would have the time later on. Between his "hair" and Rachel's braids, the other two boys had a hard time keeping a straight face. Mike dropped the costumes off in Kurt's bedroom and Noah put the bags food on the table. He suddenly noticed what Rachel was wearing and gravitated toward her, where he playfully tweaked one of her braids and then ran his hands up and down her arms. In a quiet voice he proclaimed, "Have I told you how good you look in this shirt?" Rachel looked up at him adoringly, as if they were the only two people in the room and softly replied, "You may have mentioned that once or twice."

"Excuse me, Kurt," Quinn announced with a sly grin and a wink to Mike, "do you happen to have a garden hose handy? Santana told me that if those two," and she nodded her head to Rachel and Noah, now staring at her, "start to get too 'touchy-feely', I should turn a hose on them and break it up before it gets out of control." "Quinn Fabray," Kurt responded in a dramatically horrified voice, "how _dare_ you suggest that we start a flood in my apartment?" Kurt stifled a laugh and continued, "All we have to do is put dinner out, and Puckerman will come running." By now, all of the teens were laughing. "What can I say?" Noah explained, flexing his right bicep, "I'm a growing boy."

As Rachel and Kurt set the table, Quinn and Mike had a brief conference. "Listen, you guys," Mike began, "Quinn and I would like to pay for dinner." Rachel, Noah, and Kurt immediately chimed in with their dismissals of the offer, and Quinn countered "No, we insist. You've been so generous letting us stay here, we'd like to thank you." She looked around the room, and continued, "Please let us do this." "Well, then," Kurt replied, "thank you both for dinner." Rachel and Noah added their appreciation, and the five friends sat down to their evening meal.

Once dinner was over and the table cleared, it was finally time to get ready. While Kurt began the task of transforming Quinn and Mike into their respective "roles", Rachel began to unbraid her hair. "Here, Baby, let me help you," Noah offered from the armchair, patting his lap for her to sit down. He sat back in the chair as far as he could and spread his legs apart for Rachel to sit between them. As she began unbraiding the sides, he started working on the back. Once they had finished, Rachel's hair was transformed into a mass of crimped waves. Noah's hands, now free, held Rachel closely. "Ya' know, Baby, we can let everybody go off and have our own fun here," he whispered in her ear. Rachel smiled, and whispered back, "Thanks for the offer, but, no, we're going." She kissed him on the cheek, stood up, walked over to her bedroom and knocked on the door. Quinn's "Come in" allowed her to open the door slightly, enter the room, and shut the door behind her.

The girls got dressed in a fit of giggles as they admired each others' costumes. Rachel's outfit was more figure forming (although not tight) than the original, and she had opted for black tights to compensate for the late October weather. Quinn's, although not identical, either, was a reasonable facsimile with boy shorts, a bedazzled tail coat, and top hat. Before Rachel began dressing, she bent down to pick up the maid's cap, which had fallen to the floor. The motion caused Quinn turned her head and she gasped at what she saw. "O. M. G. Rachel Berry, do you have a tattoo?" Rachel grinned and nodded her head, and Quinn came over for a closer inspection. "When did you do this? Did it hurt? Do your dads know? What does Puck think?" she asked in a rapid-fire manner. "For my 18th birthday; yes, a little; I certainly hope not; he loves it," she answered back. "Rachel Berry takes a 'walk on the wild side'," Quinn teased. "I never thought I'd live to see the day."

When they finally emerged from the bedroom, they broke into laughter as they saw Mike sitting on the sofa in his bustier, garter belt, fishnets (also over nude dance tights), platform pumps, pearls, and full-on drag makeup. He was going to wear a lab coat and feather boa as part of the costume, but had not added it as yet. Noah was next to leave Kurt's room, and he had been convinced to let Kurt apply a large scar to his forehead. "No zombie makeup, Noah?" Rachel questioned. Noah gave her an evil grin and held up his right hand with four fingers showing, which effectively stopped her from saying more. Kurt, who had also completed his "look" in the meantime, had poked is head out, gesturing for Quinn to come in and witnessing the interaction in the process. "What was that all about?" she asked Kurt as she entered his room. "You'd never believe me…" he replied, and began altering Quinn's appearance as befitting her character. Rachel was the last to be transformed, and after her makeup was completed, she bent over and shook out her hair, resulting in fullness without teasing or too many products.

Under Kurt's masterful touch, the five Ohioans had been temporarily morphed into three "Transylvanians", one groupie, and one murdered, reanimated delivery boy. Rachel insisted on taking pictures, which she planned to post on Facebook. Coats on, they left the apartment, locking the door and heading toward their ultimate goal: Callbacks' annual Halloween Party.


	30. Chapter 30

Chapter 30

The gang entered the karaoke bar to the dying strains of "The Time Warp", cheers, and thunderous applause. "Oh, darn, we missed it," Rachel pouted. "Don't worry," Kurt placated her, "maybe they'll play it again, later." Noah noticed Ben waving them over and he put his arm around Rachel, guiding her to the table. "Just a minute, Noah," Rachel said, "we're going to check our coats." "Let me do that for you, Rach," he offered. "No, thanks, Noah, she politely refused, "I'd appreciate it if you make sure there are enough chairs, and we'll take care of the coats." "'K, Baby," he replied with a kiss on the cheek and headed toward the rest of the group. Rachel, Quinn, and Mike waited excitedly in line at the coat check, people watching and admiring the various costumes that the patrons had devised. A couple breezed by her and caught her eye; they were dressed as "Magenta" and "Riff-Raff", but in space suits rather than as maid and butler. As they were moving past, Rachel's and "Magenta's" eyes met for an instant…

"Rachel?..." "Cindy?..." "O.M.G. Rachel, you look _amazing_," Cindy exclaimed. "So do you, Cindy. Your costumes are fantastic," she admired. "Thanks," Cindy replied, patting her "Bride of Frankenstein" wig, "it pays to have friends in 'the theata', you know?" "Oh, Cindy, I'm sorry," Rachel apologized. "These are my friends Quinn Fabray and Michael Chang. Quinn's visiting from Yale and Mike attends the Joffrey Ballet Academy in Chicago," she gestured to each in turn. "Quinn and Michael, this is Cindy Miller; she's the 'Fairy Godmother' in our show," she explained.

Everyone exchanged greetings, and Cindy responded in kind: "Rachel, Quinn, Mike, this is my fiancé, Jonathan Draper. Jon's working on his MA in Architecture at Columbia," she informed them. "Honey, this is Rachel…you know, from the play, and her friends Quinn and Michael." Another round of "Hellos" ensued, and Rachel asked, "Cindy, did you come with friends?" "No, she answered, smiling brightly, hugging her fiancé's arm, "just the two of us." "Well, then join us," Rachel insisted. "I'll take you over and introduce you to everybody as soon as we can check our coats." "Thanks, Rachel," Cindy replied appreciatively, "that'll be fun."

As soon as they were unencumbered of their coats, the (now) five students began making their way through the crowded club to the tables where the remainder of their group was gathered.

About a third of the way there, Quinn was unceremoniously bumped and looked up perturbedly into the eyes of a tall, strapping young man with a feather boa, dressed up like "Frank N. Furter". "I'm sorry," he began. "I haven't seen you in here before." "No," she replied flirtatiously, no longer disturbed by the jostle, "I'm visiting for the weekend from Yale." "I'm a senior at NYADA, myself; name's Brody Weston," he said with a friendly smile. Rachel recognized the name and looked at him, smiling. "Oh, hi…um, Rochelle?" "Rachel," she patiently corrected him.

"Oh, yeah, sorry, Rachel," he apologized. "Nice to see you again. Great costume," he commented. "Thank you," she replied, "yours, too. Where's your friend, Ms. July?" she inquired. He grinned broadly. "I have no idea," he answered honestly. "Cassie doesn't 'do' Halloween, at least, so she says." He continued, chuckling, "Frankly, I think she meets up with her 'sisters', and they fly around Central Park on their broomsticks." Rachel grinned at the image, although she would have spelled it with a "B" rather than "W". She proceeded to introduce Brody to the rest of the group, after which they chatted a moment, Brody appearing to take quite an interest in Quinn. As they continued their meandering path toward the others, Quinn whispered something in Rachel's ear and left for a moment. She returned with a smile and piece of paper that she folded and put in her purse. "I hear he's quite a 'player'," Cindy cautioned Quinn. "That's OK," Quinn responded, smiling slyly, "he's a cute guy here, and I'm in New Haven. If he calls me, fine; if not, that's OK, too."

They finally reached their group and Rachel introduced Cindy and Jon to Noah, Kurt, Ben, and Candy. "Have you seen Jesse?" Rachel questioned Kurt. "Not so far, Rachel," he replied. "I don't know if he'd recognize me, but he'd certainly see Puck." Noah and Jon discovered a shared interest in sports and were comparing stats on their favorite teams. Mike was interrogating Ben for information about Juilliard's dance BFA program, and Kurt, Quinn, and Candy had just begun a conversation when Jesse approached the group with his date, an apparently (it was hard to tell with the "Janet" attire) nice looking young man named Adam, a senior at NYADA. Jesse did not appear to be overly emotionally invested in his date, who began a rather animated conversation with Kurt. Quinn and Rachel both noticed this interaction and shared a knowing look. Although Rachel hoped that Kurt and Blaine would end up together, she knew it was important for the boys to meet other people before they considered making a commitment.

As conversations ebbed and flowed between various members in their little group, Rachel asked Cindy, "Why didn't you audition for 'Cinderella', Cindy? I'm sure you'd have easily gotten the part." "Thanks for the vote of confidence, Rachel," Cindy replied, "but that held no interest for me." A surprised Rachel responded, "How can you say that? It's the lead female role."

"Because Cinderella lets herself become a victim to her step-family and would rather daydream than _do_ something," she answered. "She's at least 18, a grown woman who could leave her home, get a job in town, and make a life for herself…and she doesn't." Cindy paused for a moment, smiled, and continued, "The fairy godmother, on the other hand, is the catalyst for the whole story; without her, nothing happens. She may only have one song, but when done well, it can stop the show." She looked Rachel in the eye and stated, "I'd rather have a good featured part than a bland leading one. There's more challenge as an actor, and it can be more fun, too."

Rachel had never considered any of that before. She had always focused on becoming a "star" rather than developing as an actor or enjoying herself in the process. "I've never considered that, Cindy, but it makes a lot of sense," Rachel commented. "I appreciate your insight." "Thanks, Rachel," Cindy replied. She looked at Rachel thoughtfully and observed, "I'll bet you can see yourself playing 'Elphaba' some day," and Rachel grinned and nodded her head. "Not 'Glinda'?" Cindy questioned, and Rachel shook her head. "Come on, then, I'll prove you wrong," she avowed, and took Rachel by the hand, leading her to the Karaoke sign up list.

Their turn came relatively quickly, and Cindy took the mike; "Hi! I'm 'Magenta', and this is also 'Magenta'," she said, and Rachel mock-curtseyed as the crowd laughed, enjoying their silliness. "Seriously, though," she continued, "I'm Cindy and this is Rachel, and we're going to be singing two selections from 'Wicked'. First, Rachel will sing 'Popular'…" grinning, she turned to Rachel, who had a look of astonishment on her face, "…and then I'll perform 'Defying Gravity', and Rachel will accompany me." Kurt turned to Quinn and muttered, "This should be interesting; Rachel _not_ singing the lead on 'Defying Gravity'."

All eyes were on the pair as Rachel channeled her "inner Glinda" (or Galinda, as the case may be) and truly owned the song, disparate attire and all. She was silly and irreverent as befitting the character and truly seemed to be having a great time as she attempted to instruct "Elphie" on the art of being "popular". She ended her performance to generous applause, and then they began the introduction to "Defying Gravity", Cindy taking on the signature role. Her voice was strong and clear and Rachel was truly impressed. Their voices blended well and belied the fact that their duet was impromptu. The completion of their performance was met with another round of applause and cheers from their friends, and they walked back to the table arm-in-arm.

"You were amazing as always, Baby," Noah greeted Rachel as he pulled her onto his lap, kissing her on the cheek. "If you wipe off that lipstick, I'll give you a much better kiss," he whispered seductively in her ear. Rachel picked up a clean napkin from the table and dabbed at her lipstick until it was on the napkin rather than her mouth, and then turned her smiling face to Noah. He quietly said "Finally!" and kissed her soundly on the lips, which she happily returned. Once the kiss ended, Rachel sighed contentedly and rested her head against Noah's chest, her right arm around him and her left hand resting over his heart. "Tired, Baby?" he asked, gently. "No," she replied, stifling a yawn.

"Looks like it's time to head out," Noah announced, nodding to weary Rachel on his lap. "Nooo, Noah," Rachel pouted. "We can't go until the William McKinley Glee Club reunites for one number." "Rach, it's only the five of us, not the whole club," Noah reasoned. "I won't take 'no' for an answer," Rachel avowed, sitting up and jumping off her boyfriend's lap. "I'm signing us up, and I know just the song." Rachel did just that, and soon the five friends were standing on the stage, as Rachel took the microphone announced, "Hi, it's me, again; Rachel Berry. These are my friends Quinn Fabray, Noah Puckerman, Kurt Hummel, and Michael Chang." Each person nodded and waved as their name was mentioned. "We were in high school glee club together, and we're going to sing something from our repertoire. Mr. DJ, if you please…" The friends looked at each other quizzically until the first notes of "Don't Stop Believin'" played, and they all broke out in huge grins and began to sing. After the song ended, they returned to the table to say their goodbyes.

"You guys sounded great!" Cindy complimented. "Thank you, Cindy," Rachel replied. "Not bad for missing half the group; after all, we were the 2012 National Show Choir champions," she stated proudly. "Yeah, your harmonies were very tight," Jesse commented. He had been relatively quiet all evening, watching his date flirt with Kurt, who seemed to be responding in kind.

"Cindy, this was a lot of fun," Rachel commented, hugging her new friend. "I enjoyed myself, too, Rachel; thanks for including us." After all of the parting words were spoken, they left to pick up their coats, and Cindy called out "See you Monday, Rachel!" Rachel turned back and waved, grinning as she stifled another yawn. "Time to get you home and into bed, Baby," Noah commented. This time, Rachel offered no argument, and slipped her hand into his as they headed out the door.

* * *

**Author's Notes**: "The Time Warp" was written by Richard O'Brien (both words and music) for "The Rocky Horror Show" and, later "The Rocky Horror Picture Show".

Both "Popular" and "Defying Gravity" are from the musical "Wicked", music and lyrics by Stephen Schwartz.

"Don't Stop Believin'" was written by Jonathan Cain, Steve Perry and Neal Schon.


	31. Chapter 31

Chapter 31

Finally back at Rachel's and Kurt's apartment, Quinn and Kurt went upstairs and Mike waited outside as Noah and Rachel said goodnight. Noah kissed Rachel deeply for the first time all day, something that she welcomed and happily returned. When they reluctantly ended their kiss, they stood together for a moment, locked in a tender embrace. "Noah," Rachel quietly stated, "you need to go home. Michael is waiting outside, and it's getting cold." He placed his finger under her chin and tilted her face up to look him in the eye. "I'll miss you tonight, Rach," he said lovingly, and kissed her on the forehead. They held each other close, grudgingly breaking apart to enable Noah and Mike to head for home and a good night's sleep.

Rachel climbed the stairs, a mix of emotions. She was physically stirred by Noah's parting kiss, tired from the excitement of the evening, elated to have performed with her friends, and happy to have Quinn's company for one more night. She opened the door to Kurt instructing Quinn as to the best way to remove her makeup. Kurt, himself, was sans makeup and wig, now in his bathrobe, and entering the kitchen, looking for the popcorn popper.

"I trust you sent Puck on his way," Kurt commented from the kitchen. "Yes, I did," Rachel confirmed. "Are you making popcorn, Kurt?" she inquired. "Yes I am," he answered, "It's time for a 'girls' night' before Quinn goes back to school." Rachel smiled and suggested, "How about some hot cocoa?" "Sounds good to me," Kurt replied. "Now, go and get yourself out of that costume before I start treating you like a maid and ordering you to make our snacks." Rachel was extremely happy to comply, and she entered her bedroom, peeling off the apron almost immediately and unzipping the dress.

Quinn joined her momentarily, all traces of "Columbia" washed away, with a contented smile on her face. "This was the perfect weekend to visit, Rachel; thanks for inviting me!" she happily acknowledged. "It was fun, wasn't it," agreed Rachel, tying her bathrobe sash. "We sure went out of our 'comfort zones' tonight," Rachel admitted, "two 'Janets' dressing up like 'Magenta' and 'Columbia'." "Maybe we're really not 'Janets', after all, Rachel," Quinn commented, winking, a devilish grin on her face. Rachel raised her eyebrow and thoughtfully replied, "Maybe not, Quinn…" before going to the bathroom to wash the last remains of her evening's alter ego away.

Rachel removed her makeup and wet down her hair enough to comb the wild waves away and return it to a semblance of her usual appearance. She emerged from the bathroom, clean of face, braiding her hair into one plait as she settled herself down on the sofa, which had not yet been readjusted into a bed. Kurt came in from the kitchen shortly thereafter with a bowl of popcorn and three steaming mugs of hot cocoa. He placed the tray on the coffee table and settled himself on the couch between Rachel and Quinn. "So what'll it be ladies," he queried, "movie or _gossip_?" Simultaneously, Rachel said "Movie" and Quinn answered "Gossip!" Rachel glanced sideways at Quinn, who behaved as if she didn't notice Rachel's glare.

"Gossip it is, then!" Kurt announced gleefully. "OK, Quinn, so spill…I already know what's going on with Rachel," he said with a knowing grin. Quinn hadn't considered that she would be topic "A" of conversation, and momentarily regretted that she didn't opt for a movie, instead. She sighed, sipped her cocoa, and admitted, "Well, I met somebody at school…" "Go on," Kurt prodded. "I literally bumped into him at the bookstore," she explained. "He's a professor…" to which Kurt interjected, "How _collegiate_, Miss Fabray." Quinn delicately raised her eyebrow, resuming "…and he took me out for coffee, and we made out afterward. He texted me, like, all the time." Quinn rolled her eyes, and continued, "It turned out that he was married. I dropped him like a hot potato, but he kept texting me…and texting me. I told him if he didn't stop, I'd send a copy of the transcripts to his wife." Kurt gasped and Quinn concluded, "That was the last I heard from him. The next time I saw him, he ducked his head and practically ran in the opposite direction."

"OK, Kurt," Quinn challenged, "it's your turn, now. What was going on with that Adam tonight?" She grinned impishly, continuing, "He seemed pretty into you, and you weren't exactly rebuffing him." Rachel sat silently through the discourse, sipping her cocoa and thanking G-d that she was out of the line of fire…at least for now. "He's a senior at NYADA, majoring in music; he even started up a glee club there called the 'Adam's Apples'." Quinn stifled a laugh, and Kurt looked at her disdainfully. "He invited me to come to their next performance; I think that I will." Kurt paused reflectively before returning to the conversation. "Don't get me wrong, I still have feelings for Blaine. We put our relationship on hold for a reason, and I owe it to myself to see where this goes." Kurt put his now empty mug down and yawned. "I think I am going to shower and wash the last of 'Riff-Raff' away. I'll see you two in the morning," he said with a wink, and left the room.

Once Kurt was safely out of earshot, Quinn turned to face Rachel directly. "OK, Girly, now _give_. What's _really_ up with you and Puck?" Rachel smiled softly and replied "I've never felt like this before, Quinn. When I wake up in his arms, it feels like _home_. There's a word in Yiddish, 'Bashert'; it means the person you were destined to be with, like your soul mate." Rachel sighed. "He's my Bashert, and I think he would say the same about me." Quinn smiled wistfully, replying, "You're very lucky, Rachel." Her smile broadened a bit, and she continued," Um…I know this is none of my business, but I've been _dying_ to know; is it true…is he really _that_ good in bed?" Rachel looked at Quinn oddly, commenting, "You had his baby, Quinn; why do you ask?"

"Rachel, I was drunk and so was he, and it was my first time," Quinn explained. "It was fast and it hurt more than anything. I don't remember if I kicked him our or he just left, but he certainly didn't stay the night." "Well," Rachel thoughtfully replied, "the only boy I was with was Finn, and that only happened a few times." She looked Quinn squarely in the eye and confessed, "Trust me; you missed nothing in that regard. As soon as he was done, he rolled over and fell asleep." Both girls giggled, and Rachel continued, "Finn was all about Finn. Noah is about us. That's all I'll say," she concluded.

Quinn's face took on a concerned expression. "Rachel, does it bother you that he slept with Shelby?" "Quinn, he didn't," Rachel quickly replied. "What?" Quinn responded incredulously. "But…he told me…" "Yes, I know what he told you," Rachel confirmed. "I also know that they never consummated. You must promise _never_ to repeat this," Rachel stated solemnly. Quinn recognized how seriously Rachel considered the topic and avowed, "I promise, Rachel." In a hushed voice, she stated simply, "He called her 'Rachel' instead of 'Shelby', and she kicked him out." "O.M.G.," Quinn uttered, stunned. "Yes, I know," Rachel agreed. "_Please_, don't say anything; it would embarrass both of us terribly," she requested. "I promise, Rachel, I won't breathe a word," Quinn pledged.

By now, it was quite late, and both girls were more than ready for sleep. "I'm going to wash out these mugs and put the rest of the popcorn away," Rachel explained, "and then I'll help you get the bed ready. Do you want to shower now or in the morning?" "I think I'll shower in the morning," Quinn replied. "Then I can wash the sheets and towels while we're eating, before I have to go back to school." "You really don't need to do that, Quinn," Rachel offered. "Nonsense," Quinn responded, "I'll take care of it, and I won't take 'no' for an answer," she firmly stated. Rachel smiled and replied, "Well, thank you, Quinn. I hope all my guests are as accommodating." The girls took care of the dishes and converted the sofa into Quinn's bed. Once Quinn had completed her nighttime maintenance and crawled into bed, Rachel took a quick shower and then did the same.

* * *

**Author's Note**: I haven't received any feedback in a while...How do you like the story thus far?


	32. Chapter 32

Chapter 32

Morning found Rachel in the kitchen preparing a fruit salad. She had already plated lox and returned it to the refrigerator to keep cold. Coffee was brewing, Quinn was showering, and Noah and Mike would be arriving soon with fresh bagels. Quinn's bed had been stripped and the sofa reconfigured, removing any "guest bedroom" signs (save for the sheets waiting to be washed) from the space.

Quinn emerged from the bathroom dressed and energized for the day. She had enjoyed her weekend in New York, but was ready to return to her life in New Haven. She left the apartment, laundry, detergent, and quarters in hand and narrowly missed bumping into Mike and Noah as they arrived with fresh bagels and coffee cake (and Mike's duffel bag). Noah made his way into the kitchen and embraced Rachel from behind as she was completing her chores. "Good morning, Princess," he murmured in her ear, and then kissed her on the neck. She nestled into him, replying, "Good morning, Noah." "I can't wait until we're alone, Baby," he whispered in her ear. Rachel smiled demurely, an eager chill running down her back as she shivered in anticipation; Noah chuckled at her response and held her closer.

"Excuse me, Noah, but we need to get brunch on the table," she said, gently extricating herself from his arms. Between Rachel, Noah, and Kurt, the table was quickly filled with Sunday brunch: bagels and cream cheese, lox, fruit salad, yogurt, juice, coffee, and coffee cake. The five friends all gathered around the table to partake of their feast.

"So, Mike," Kurt began, "have you reached a verdict?" Mike thoughtfully replied, "There are a lot of things to take into consideration. For example, whether I can receive a scholarship to cover at least part of my tuition, how my credits will transfer, how long it'll take me to make up what I missed, and if I can pick up any classes online over the summer." He paused and glanced at his friends, and then concluded, "Ultimately, if it was all up to me, I think I would pick Juilliard; I guess I'll have to wait and see what transpires over the next few months." "You've got a lot to think about, Mike," Quinn commented. "I know it'll work out, Michael," Rachel agreed. "Yeah, it'll be cool when you're here next year," Noah added.

"Mike, has Tina ever mentioned what she's going to do about college next year?" Quinn asked. "She'd like to be a veterinarian, and she has three great options in the 'Big Ten': OSU, Michigan State, and Northwestern," he explained. "We looked at Northwestern last spring with my Mom…" "…and she drove down with Brittany to OSU this weekend," Rachel interjected. "I think Santana and Dave were going to take them on a tour yesterday." "As in Karofsky?" Noah asked. "Yes, it sounds like they've bonded," Rachel confirmed.

"Yeah, that's what I get, too," Quinn added. "By the way," she continued, "San says that she expects to see everyone at Breadstix the night before Thanksgiving, and she's having a party at her house the night after." Quinn looked pointedly at Rachel before adding "She told me that you can invite 'St. Douche'…" Quinn air quoted while speaking, "sorry, her words, not mine, to the party if you'd like, Rachel. Rachel rolled her eyes and replied, "I'll thank Santana the next time I talk with her. I think I'll feel Jesse out a little before I broach the subject. It's a month away, anyway."

"I forgot to tell you;" Noah spoke up, turning to Rachel, "Jake called me the other day." "Who's Jake?" Quinn asked. "My little brother…" Quinn inhaled softly, and Noah proceeded, "…half-brother, whatever. Anyway, the club won't be coming to New York after all." "Yeah, Finn told me about it," Kurt admitted. "Between the play and sectionals, they couldn't fit it in…and finances are tight, as always." Kurt glanced sideways at Rachel, who showed no particular reaction to Finn's name. "It's too bad they can't make it," Rachel mused. "I guess we'll see everybody over Thanksgiving break."

In between eating, conversation, and coffee, Quinn managed to wash, dry, and fold the linens and towels that she had used, which she gave to Rachel, who put them away in the linen closet. "Quinn, thank you for taking care of that," Rachel acknowledged, giving her friend an extra hug. "Thank you for having me, Rachel," Quinn replied. "Maybe you can visit when my roommate goes home for a weekend." "I'd love that, Quinn; I've never been to Yale," Rachel admitted.

The time was drawing near when Mike and Quinn needed to leave and return back to their respective campuses and lives. The table was cleared and the leftovers refrigerated. Quinn finished packing her bag, and was now ready to depart. "Kurt, are you coming with us?" Rachel inquired. "No, thanks, I've got tons of homework to catch up on, so I'll pass." He hugged both Mike and Quinn in turn, promising to see them in a month, when they all reconvened in Lima for Thanksgiving, and Rachel, Noah (carrying Quinn's bag), Quinn, and Mike left the apartment for their subway ride to Manhattan.

The four friends rode the subway train in companionable silence, each mulling over the time they had spent together, as well as what they needed to do to catch up before Monday classes. It seemed mere moments before they were walking up the steps at Grand Central Terminal. They dropped Mike off to pick up the shuttle bus to LaGuardia Airport, first. Rachel embraced Mike, telling him to "Give everybody in the cast my best and tell them to 'break a leg'." Quinn and Mike hugged next, followed by Noah with a fist bump and a "bro hug".

Their next destination was where Quinn would be embarking on her return journey to New Haven. Rachel and Quinn held each other close, and Rachel whispered "Let me know if that guy, Brody calls." Quinn grinned and nodded, whispering back "I will, Rachel. See you at Breadstix." Quinn hugged Noah next, kissing him on the cheek and whispering "Bye, 'Baby Daddy'." Noah smiled; he and Quinn realized long ago that there were no feelings between them aside from platonic, but they would always share a connection in that beautiful little girl.

Noah took Rachel's hand, and the two turned away and headed out toward the subway that would take them home. "Did ya' have fun this weekend, Princess?" he inquired. "It was awesome, Noah," Rachel beamed, "our first Halloween in New York." "Well, technically, Halloween's not 'til Wednesday," he reminded her with a wink. "Yes, I understand, but you know what I mean…" she replied. "Yeah, I know; it _was_ kinda fun, even with dressing up," he admitted. Rachel chuckled; "Kurt will be so pleased to hear you admit that."

* * *

Finally back after dropping their friends off, Noah and Rachel returned to a surprisingly silent apartment and a note from Kurt taped to the back of the door:

"_Dear Rachel and Puck:_

_I got caught up on my homework and decided to go to the gym for a workout. I'll be picking up a few things at the grocery on the way home, so if there's anything you need, Rachel, feel free to call and leave a message._

_Please don't do anything that I wouldn't do…well, I guess that's exactly what you'll do. Just dial down the volume so the neighbors don't complain._

_Hugs,_

_Kurt"_

Noah's face broke out in an enormous grin, and he looked at Rachel lasciviously. "Well, you heard the man," he said, picking up Rachel and slinging her over his shoulder. Through her laughter, Rachel gasped out "Noah, put me down. I have to go to the bathroom, first." He deposited her at the bathroom door, warning "Don't be too long, woman," and then kissed her soundly. Rachel did her best to comply, and returned to her bedroom to find Noah sitting on the bed, still fully clothed, with a small wrapped box in front of him.

"Happy Anniversary, Baby," he tenderly announced, holding out the box to her. "I know it's a few days late, but we were kinda tied up with Mike and Quinn…" "Thank you, Noah," Rachel replied, taking the box and going over to her dresser. She opened the top drawer and pulled out a small box, also wrapped. "I didn't forget our six-month anniversary, either," she said, handing him the box and leaning in for a kiss.

"Open yours first, Rach," Noah instructed. Rachel's hands were trembling just a bit as she unwrapped the paper to find a Macy's box, inside of which was a beautiful sterling silver necklace with six delicate, perfectly formed roses. "Oh, Noah, it's exquisite!" she exclaimed, tearing up. "Would you please put it on for me?" He complied, explaining, "Kurt helped me pick it out…well, I picked it out, but Kurt approved it." "I love it," she confirmed. "Thank you. Now, open yours."

He tore open the paper, less carefully than Rachel (of course ;-)) and opened the box to find an agate guitar pick. "Baby, this is awesome; thank you!" he avowed, holding the pick up to the light to admire the patterns within the stone. "I'm glad you like it, Noah." Noah grinned, his eyes filled with lust and desire. "Come 'ere Baby, and I'll show you just how much…" Rachel sat down on the bed next to Noah; she turned to face him, and he began to undress her as she reached for his belt buckle…

A half-hour later, Rachel was nestled into Noah's chest. Her fingers were intertwined with his left hand, as his right hand stroked her hair. As they were savoring their post-coital connection, the lock turned in the door, announcing Kurt's arrival. Rachel sighed contentedly, Noah kissed her on the head, and they broke apart to dress and return to more pressing, mundane tasks: homework, laundry, and preparing for classes.

* * *

**Author's Note**: Next chapter, a slight change in plans. ;-) (no; no babies, no pregnancy, _so_ not happening.)


	33. Chapter 33

**Author's Note**: As with everyone, my deepest sympathy goes out to the family and friends of actor Cory Monteith due to the heartbreaking news of his recent passing. There is nothing more tragic than the loss of a young person in the prime of their life.

Although Finn is not an integral part of this story (or this "universe"), he does exist within it. "Finn Hudson" may be a fictional character on a TV show, but Mr. Monteith was very real and will be sorely missed, especially by those who knew and loved him.

In regard to the story, I did have a plan in mind for Finn's "path", so to speak. In light of this unfortunate turn of events, I think it may be in poor taste to keep the character alive and healthy when the actor who portrayed him is very sadly not. However, I have not decided whether to disregard this and keep him hale and hearty, cease mentioning him altogether (i.e. he cuts off all ties and moves away), or have him pass on. If you have any thoughts on this, please feel free to share them.

Finn was not scheduled to appear again until near the end of this story; please don't expect much reference to the character until that point in the narrative.

Thank you for continuing to read my "fan fics". Following please find the next chapter.

* * *

Chapter 33

Monday classes were interesting but uneventful. A new paper was assigned that was due the following week, but that was nothing out of the ordinary. Rachel and Noah were on the way to pick up some lunch before she had to report to rehearsal when Rachel received a text from Dr. Greene asking her to meet him at his office. With a quick kiss good-bye, Rachel left Noah, heading to meet with her advisor, wondering what was going on.

"Hi, Rachel," Dr. Greene greeted her. "Please have a seat," he offered, gesturing to the chairs facing his desk. Rachel sat down and looked inquiringly at her advisor. "Dr. Greene, you sent for me?" she queried. "Yes, Rachel, I did," he replied. "We're going to need your help. Cindy had an accident." Rachel gasped, interjecting, "I just saw her on Saturday night, and she was fine." "This happened on Sunday, Rachel," Dr. Greene explained. "She was in her apartment and her cat was underfoot; she fell and broke her toe." "Oh," Rachel sighed in relief. "Then you just need me to fill in for a couple of days?" she asked.

"No, Rachel. Unfortunately this was more serious." Rachel's face reflected her deep concern; after all, she had broken a toe once (or twice) and the doctor (well, her Daddy) had taped it to the closest toe and told her to keep it elevated (to minimize swelling) and wear flat shoes, and she resumed her activities relatively quickly. "May I ask what happened?" she politely inquired. "She broke her big toe, which is crucial for balance. The break was vertical instead of horizontal, effectively splitting the bone down the middle. It needs to be pinned back together surgically," he explained, "as that gives her the best chance for a full recovery."

"Oh my gosh, how is she feeling? Is she at home? Can I see her? I have to call her…" Rachel's questions spilled out quickly as she began rummaging through her purse for her cell phone. Dr. Greene smiled patiently. He was pleased to see that Rachel's primary instinct was for her friend rather than her own good fortune; he had often seen understudies gloat when the primary actor was unable to perform. "Rachel, she's feeling OK, all things considered. Her surgery is scheduled for Wednesday, and you may call her later." Dr. Greene looked directly at Rachel and stated "You realize that this means you'll be performing in her place."

Those words had a profound effect on Rachel, as they snapped her back to reality and she ceased looking for her phone. Rachel Berry, McKinley High School's queen of the solos (solo-_hogs_, according to Mercedes and most likely Kurt, as well) was apparently no more, as her first thoughts were for her friend rather than herself. "Dr. Greene, isn't there any way that Cindy can do this?" she implored. "I mean, she's worked so hard and she really deserves it." "No, Rachel, unfortunately not," he replied. "She'll need rest and then physical therapy to be able to walk properly and regain mobility in the joint." Dr. Greene handed Rachel (who had started crying) a tissue, before going on, "With some work, she'll be good as new in a few months."

Rachel was still sniffling and looking forlorn, prompting her advisor to ask, "Rachel, if you don't think you're up to this, that's OK; I have a couple of students who are quick studies and would be able to take over the part." Rachel thought for a (very) brief moment, smiled through her tears, and answered, "No, Dr. Greene, I can do this…that is, if you think I'm ready." "I do, Rachel," he answered. "Cindy speaks very highly of you, and if she's confident that you can perform, then so am I."

Rachel reached for her water bottle and took some small sips, attempting to calm herself and come to terms with the situation. She looked inquisitively at her advisor. "What are my next steps, Dr. Greene?" He chuckled before answering, "The first order of business is to find you a costume, because there is no way Cindy's will fit you, even with alterations." He handed her a piece of paper with an address and directions. "When you arrive here, ask for Douglas Kent; he's in charge of costuming the show. He'll take you to our little 'collection', and will find something appropriate that's closer to your size." Rachel studied the paper, mentally placing the building. "There's a special rehearsal called for today and another tomorrow for you to get up to speed on your performance. In the meantime, one of the others in the chorus will take your line and learn your choreography. After that, it's 'business as usual'."

"Thank you, Dr. Greene, I appreciate the opportunity," Rachel sincerely acknowledged, smiling genuinely. "I promise not to let you down." Dr. Greene chuckled again; "This reminds me of the scene in '42nd Street' where Warner Baxter gives Ruby Keeler a pep talk about going on for Bebe Daniels. At the end he says 'you're going out a youngster but you've got to come back a star!'" He looked Rachel in the eyes and said "Don't expect to come back a star, Rachel. This is a chance for you to prove yourself, though, and it may lead to other things in the future. Just take it in stride." "OK, Dr. Greene, I will," Rachel averred, smiling, "my role may have changed, but I'm still just one person on the team." "That's the right attitude, Rachel," Dr. Greene commended her. "You'd better be on your way; Douglas will be waiting for you."

Rachel left with a wave to her advisor, and quickly found her cell phone as soon as she was outside. Her first call was to Cindy: "Hello, Cindy?...Yes, it's Rachel…How are you?...Does it hurt?...Oh my gosh, I'm _so sorry_…Is there anything that I can do for you?...May we stop by and visit later?...OK, where do you live?...Can we bring dinner?...Please; I won't take no for an answer…Do you like Thai?...OK, then, Noah and I will stop by after rehearsal…Cindy, I'm so sorry…All right, I'll stop apologizing…I'll see you later…Thanks, you too…Bye…"

Rachel arrived at her destination in record time, and she was escorted by Mr. Kent (the "costume guy") to a large room (more like a small warehouse) filled with racks and racks of costumes of every era, genre, color, and size. For a theater geek like Rachel, she felt like she had gone to costume heaven; all she wanted to do was walk through leisurely, examining each garment and imagining who had worn it and what character it represented. Unfortunately, there was little time for such frivolity. Mr. Kent took her measurements and guided Rachel to an area that contained more fantasy-themed dresses.

They needed two garments: a simple long cloak and a fanciful gown suitable for a fairy godmother. Relatively quickly, they found a navy blue cloak with a purple lining that would do nicely as her outer garment. It would need a bit of taking up, but it wasn't as big overall as Cindy's assigned costume would have been. It took another 20 minutes until they found the perfect dress; pale lilac that shimmered from strategically placed sequins. It also required some alterations, but would be ready by the time dress rehearsals began the following week. Task completed, Rachel thanked Mr. Kent and left to pick up a quick lunch before her first run-through.


	34. Chapter 34

Chapter 34

Rachel arrived at the rehearsal hall about 20 minutes early. She quickly texted Noah with her change of venue, so he would know where to meet her. Once she received his confirmation, she sat down at the piano and began running scales to warm up her voice. When the Director (Ross Allen) and "Cinderella" (Marsha Davis) arrived, they found Rachel accompanying herself on the piano, singing "Memories" from "Cats", eyes closed, oblivious to their presence.

Rachel ended her song and was surprised by the applause that followed. "Great job, Rachel," Mr. Allen complimented. "Thank you, Mr. Allen," Rachel modestly replied. "Please, call me Ross. Have you met Marsha?" he asked Rachel, gesturing to Marsha, who said "Hi." "No, not officially, but I'm extremely impressed by what I've seen of your performance, Marsha," Rachel commented. "Thank you, Rachel," Marsha responded, and the two girls began a conversation. "Well, if we can move on from this 'mutual admiration society'," Ross teased, "we can get down to business." Both girls stopped chatting and gave the director their full attention.

Over the next couple of hours, Rachel learned the blocking for her scenes and read her lines, initially from the script. Although she had reviewed the script when it was assigned, she hadn't committed it to memory. The director encouraged her to "make the part her own", and since Rachel hadn't studied Cindy's performance too closely, she was able to inject her own personality and interpretation into the role. Although her initial run through was a bit rough around the edges, the song and ensuing duet of "Impossible/It's Possible" was much better, sounding as if it had already been rehearsed by the two singers.

Ross glanced at his watch and noticed it was close to 5:00. "That's it for today, ladies," he announced. "Rachel, we'll run through this again tomorrow and review your other scenes," he explained. "Thursday is a full rehearsal; I'd appreciate it if you'd know your lines by then," he requested. "Of course, Ross," she concurred, and then left the room, looking for Noah, and finding him in short order.

"Hey, Baby," he greeted her with a kiss. "What's up? Why weren't you at the theater?" he inquired curiously. "Oh, Noah," Rachel sighed, "it's awful…but it's good…but it's awful…" she replied. Noah looked at her quizzically, his left eyebrow cocked. "Care to elaborate, Rach?" Rachel motioned to a nearby bench and they sat down. She looked Noah in the eyes and began, "Cindy fell yesterday and is having surgery on Wednesday. That leaves me to take over her role in the play." She looked down, and then up again into his now incredulous eyes. "Oh, Noah, I feel so badly for her. I feel guilty that I feel happy for me. Does that make me a bad person?" she asked, looking imploringly as tears formed in her eyes.

"Nah, Rach, just makes ya' human," he pragmatically consoled her, wrapping his arm around her shoulders and pulling her close. "It's not like you pushed her or anything, or even wished it on her." "She worked so hard, Noah, and she really deserves this…I'm just stepping in," she said, dejectedly. "Actually, Rachel, you're stepping _up_," he gently corrected her. "You're doing what's being asked of you, regardless of your feelings." He kissed her on the forehead and she sighed. "Noah, when did you get so wise?" she mused. "Always have been," he chuckled. "Just took someone like you to pull it out 'a me." Rachel leaned back contentedly onto her boyfriend's chest for a moment, and then sat up.

"Noah, I almost forgot. I want to see Cindy and I promised that we'd bring dinner." Noah grinned, replying, "Sure, Baby, no worries; what are we getting?" "Do you remember the Thai place we ate lunch at a couple of weeks ago?" she inquired. "Yeah," he answered, "if we're getting carryout from there, we should hurry; it'll take time. Do you have her address?" "Yes, Noah, of course," Rachel replied, smiling. She stood up and offered her hand to Noah, which he took as he got on his feet, and the two young lovers walked hand-in-hand toward their destination.

* * *

By 6:00, dinner had been ordered and purchased, Cindy had been notified of their impending arrival, and Rachel and Noah were standing outside of Cindy's and Jon's apartment, ringing the buzzer to be let in. Fortunately, the apartment was on the first floor, so they did not have long to walk, considering that they were encumbered with their school supplies in addition to the food. They were greeted at the door by Jon, who pointed Rachel in the direction of his fiancée, while he and Noah discussed how to divvy up the cost of the meal.

Rachel found Cindy sitting on the sofa, relaxing against the arm rest with one foot propped up on several pillows and the (offending) cat, Bombalurina, curled up in her lap, purring contentedly as her owner stroked her silky fur. "Cindy!" Rachel cried out as she leaned in for a hug, the cat looked up, startled out of her complacency. "I am _so sorry_. How are you feeling?" Rachel sat down in a nearby armchair as Cindy replied, "All things considered, I'm fine; at least, I will be in a couple of months. Besides, didn't I ask you to stop apologizing?" she teased. "Yes, I know," Rachel admitted. "I…I just feel so badly…like I'm stealing this part from you…"

"Rachel, in the first place, 'shit happens', and I guess it was my turn," Cindy pragmatically explained. "I've had a lot of great opportunities at Tisch, and there will be more, both here and in the theater after I graduate" she explained, "so please don't feel badly." Cindy paused for a moment and looked at Rachel. "I've enjoyed the experience, I learned a few new things, I met some cool people…" she smiled and gestured at Rachel, who smiled back, "…so it's all good. "I guess it's your turn to shine this time, Rachel, and I know that you will." Rachel blushed, replying, "Thanks, Cindy."

"You're welcome," Cindy politely returned. She looked thoughtfully at Rachel, musing "You know, Rachel, you have a gift for comedy…our performance at Callbacks proved that. If you asked me…which you haven't," she kidded, winking at Rachel, "you shouldn't deny that facet of your talents. Not every role you aspire to has to be 'Lady Macbeth', or some other serious lead character." She looked at Rachel, who seemed open to the advice being shared. "I'm not saying only pursue comedy, just don't disregard it. I'd rather be 'Ado Annie' over 'Laurie' any day, and 'Glinda' is every bit as complex and challenging as 'Elphaba'…and she doesn't require green makeup, either," she explained, grinning. "Besides, you'll have a more well-rounded body of work, and versatility will ultimately help you get jobs," she concluded.

Rachel was about to speak when Jon and Noah approached with dinner. "Dinner is served, ladies," Jon announced. "Please excuse the informality, but eating at the table is a little difficult right now," he jokingly explained. The four friends enjoyed their casual dinner, and all too soon it was time for Rachel and Noah to head back to Brooklyn for an evening of homework and (in Rachel's case) line memorization. Jon assured Rachel that he would text her the moment Cindy's surgery was over, and Rachel promised Cindy that she would visit as soon as Cindy was up to company. Both Rachel and Noah wished Cindy good luck before exiting the apartment and walking toward the subway station that would eventually send them home for the night.

* * *

**Author's Notes**: Sorry about the Ross/Rachel thing...I didn't notice it at the time I was writing it, and decided not to change it. It was purely coincidental.

Bombalurina is the name of one of the cats in "Cats".

"Ado Annie" and "Laurie" are characters in "Oklahoma". If you're not familiar with the story, "Laurie" is the female lead and in love with a cowboy, "Curley". "Ado Annie" is basically man-crazy, having gained the attention of some of the men in town after "roundin' up a little".

"Glinda" and "Elphaba" are the two female leads in "Wicked". :-)


	35. Chapter 35

Chapter 35

The remainder of the school week passed as most do, filled with classes, homework, and taking care of personal business, namely cooking, cleaning, and laundry. Rachel had purchased a couple of bags of candy and passed it out on Wednesday night to the Trick-or-Treaters that came by the apartment building. She had learned her lines and was gaining confidence with each performance. Cindy had come through her surgery with flying colors and was resting comfortably at home. The cast had pitched in and sent her flowers, and a few of them (Rachel and Marsha included) had volunteered to help until she could be more mobile while her fiancée was at school.

The director had suggested to Rachel to consider twirling her "wand" like a baton; it would give her something to do with her hands while she was supposedly creating all of the "magic" that was happening, as well as draw eyes to it (and her), supplying a "smoke and mirrors" effect to cover the true action that was occurring on stage. By Sunday afternoon, close to a dozen YouTube videos later, all she had to show for her effort was a moderate increase in skill and two young men on the brink of tears from laughing so hard at her less than stellar attempts. Their derision only fueled her ambition, and she decided to go to the bookstore to purchase a book (or two) on the subject.

Rachel returned later that afternoon with a couple of books and a self-satisfied grin. "Well, don't _you_ look like the cat that swallowed the canary," Kurt commented. "What are you so pleased about?" "I got a job," she stated simply, plopping down on the couch. "Spill, Rachel; how did _that_ happen?"

"Apparently, Saturday and Sunday afternoons they have somebody reading stories to the kids. Parents can drop their children off and have a couple of free hours on the weekend," she explained, looking at Kurt. "And where do you come in?" he asked, prodding her to continue. "The current 'story lady' is graduating and won't be available next semester. They have some part-timers to fill in for the holiday season, but they need somebody who will commit, at least for next semester, to 1-4 PM on Saturday and Sunday afternoons. I can certainly spare the time, it's walking distance from here, and, even though it's not a lot of money, it'll still help," she concluded.

"Do you mind if I ask how much it pays?" Kurt inquired. "No, not at all, Kurt," Rachel replied. "It's $10 an hour; that is, before taxes. You know," she confided, "technically, I'm not supposed to work on the Sabbath, but it's only reading; there's no real labor or anything, and we get paid every other Wednesday, so I think it'll be OK." "Well, congratulations, Rachel," Kurt acknowledged. "I think it's a great idea; now I just need to get up off of my rear end and do the same."

Noah had returned home while Rachel was running her errand; he had gone grocery shopping on the way and was doing laundry as well as studying. Rachel texted her news and his response indicated that he was proud of her. She began practicing, using the books as a guide, determined to have something to show the director before returning to her own actual homework assignments. By the end of the evening, Rachel had mastered some basic twirling skills as well as written the first draft of a paper.

* * *

The next two weeks seemed as though they were sucked into the cyclone that transported "Dorothy" to "Oz". Between classes, homework, rehearsals, and mundane chores, time appeared to fly by. Before they knew it, it was the Friday before Thanksgiving: opening night. Rachel's nerves had gotten the better of her, and only Noah at her side enabled her to attend her classes with her sanity intact. Once classes were over, the couple returned to Rachel's apartment, where she would be able to eat, rest, and (hopefully) center herself enough to be calm for the evening's performance.

"Come on, Baby; you've gotta eat something," Noah implored his girlfriend. "Noah, I'm afraid that I couldn't keep anything down," Rachel shakily admitted. "Bullshit, Rach, you have to eat. You need energy to perform, and energy requires calories," he explained. "Take that from an ex-jock. I'll make you some whole wheat toast with peanut butter and some tea," he decided, knowing she wouldn't consume any dairy before a performance. "If you don't eat every bite," he playfully cautioned, "I'm gonna feed you, myself."

Rachel smiled; she realized that Noah was right. "Thank you, Noah. I don't know what I'd do without you," she confessed. "Don't worry about that, Baby; I'm not going anywhere," he confided with a loving smile. "I'm going to take a shower, Noah," Rachel said. "Maybe it'll help me calm down. By the way, thanks again for the flowers, Noah; they're amazing!" she commented, kissing him lightly. "Nothing's too good for you, Rach," he replied, pleased that she liked his gift. "Lavender roses…they're gorgeous," she sighed, "…just…special."

"You know what they mean, don't ya', Rach?" he teased. Rachel shook her head, smiling shyly and looking up at him demurely. "They mean 'love at first sight', and you are that for me," he avowed. "Even when you were slushying me, Noah?" she queried, teasingly. "Even then, Baby; even then," he admitted. "I did everything I could to push you away, because I thought you deserved better." "Oh, Noah," she sighed, "in my eyes, there's nobody better than you." Noah's arms encircled her tenderly, all too quickly releasing Rachel and shooing her off: "Now, go; take your shower, Rach," he said, swatting her lightly on her rear as she walked away.

As soon as Noah heard the water running, he sent a quick text to Kurt: "Evrythg set 4 2nite?" to which Kurt replied: "Yes :-) C U at thtr." Noah smiled; Rachel would never figure out their surprise, let alone that there was one…

Rachel emerged from the bathroom infinitely more relaxed. She had pulled her hair back in a low ponytail so her hair could be easily manipulated to fit under her wig. She sat down to the snack that Noah had fixed for her, and he joined her, carrying in a sandwich that he had prepared for himself. Rachel began eating, gingerly at first, as she was still concerned as to whether or not she could keep it down. "This is delicious, Noah; thank you," she complimented her boyfriend. He smiled at Rachel, unable to speak due to a mouthful of sandwich. He took a drink of water and was about to reply when Rachel curiously observed, "Noah, where's Kurt?" Her concern was evident when she continued, "He's planning on being there tonight, isn't he?"

Noah smiled; he and Kurt had covered all of the angles. "He's working on a project for school, Rach. He promised that he would meet me there in plenty of time." He smiled and looked at Rachel, teasing, "Don't worry, Baby; your 'cheering section' will be there in full force." Rachel's facial features relaxed at his reply. She smiled and continued eating, comforted by the support that Noah and Kurt provided.

After lunch was eaten, Noah rubbed Rachel's neck to help relieve her. He had considered giving her a back rub, but realized that temptation might get the better of both of them, and now was not the time for sex. Leaning against Noah, Rachel dozed off on the couch for about 20 minutes, waking up somewhat calmer than when she had first come home. A quick glance at her watch reminded her that it was time to get ready; Rachel gathered her shoes for the play and a change of clothes for afterward. Noah had insisted that he and Kurt were taking her out to celebrate her success (it's great to have friends who are confident in one's abilities), and she decided that the yoga pants and sweater she wore in wouldn't be appropriate for wherever they went.

The pair bundled up in warm coats to offset the chill of the November evening. A brisk walk to the subway station led to a quiet ride, Rachel running lines in her head the whole trip. Another brisk walk, and Rachel and Noah found themselves at the stage door. She looked up at him with a mixture of fear and awe in her eyes. They embraced, Rachel clinging tightly as if he was her lifeline. "Break a leg, Baby," he whispered in her ear, and Rachel exhaled, relaxing a bit. Noah kissed her on the forehead and, after another hug, they broke contact. Rachel entered the door; there was no turning back, now, only moving forward.

* * *

**Author's Note**: Apparently, an "at sign" can't be retained as a valid character. Oh well... on with the show! Feedback, anyone?


	36. Chapter 36

Chapter 36

Rachel was on pins and needles waiting in the wings for her cue. So far, the production had gone on without a hitch. Next to her was Jesse St. James, dressed for "the ball", his next scene, and they were holding hands and grinning like idiots. A moment later, there it was; Jesse released her hand, whispering, "Break a leg, Rachel," and off she went, wand hidden in an inner pocket of the cloak.

Rachel loved her entrance:

_The curtain pulls back at the side of the stage to reveal her standing at the "window" of Cinderella's kitchen, which was a set with (of course) no front wall. They chat for a moment, and Marsha (Cinderella) exits, presumably to let her godmother in for a cup of tea. Once she leaves the set, Rachel snaps her fingers, the stage goes black, and sound effects of footsteps and a door opening are heard. When the lights go back on, Rachel is seated in the kitchen, and Marsha enters, (supposedly) thoroughly confused as to how she got there._

Through her director's guidance and Cindy's mentoring, Rachel had incorporated two primary goals into her portrayal: (1) to remain in the moment, acting and reacting as if it was really happening and (2) if possible, break the "fourth wall" to further connect with the audience. So… she briefly looked out in the audience, eyebrow cocked a bit, sly grin on her face, as if to say "well, folks, get a load of this!", raised her right hand, and snapped her fingers, and the stage suddenly went black. Once she was seated, she smiled inwardly; as she had glanced among the crowd, she saw a face that reminded her of her Daddy.

She immediately realized it was a combination of nerves and wishful thinking. She had spoken with her fathers that morning; both of them expressed their pride in her accomplishments, encouraged her pursuits, reminded her they would see her next Wednesday, and reassured her that they were coming to New York the following weekend (after Thanksgiving) to attend a performance (or two). They had sent her an arrangement of peach roses and white daisies and a card shaped like an old-fashioned walking cast with a note "Break a Leg" penned inside, along with their signatures. Noah had already procured their tickets, which were tucked away safely at home in a dresser drawer.

As the scene unfolded, Rachel and Marsha delivered their lines, sang their solos, and blended harmoniously during the duets. The girls had established a warm rapport, even after only two weeks, and it was evident in their performance. At one point, Rachel removed her simple cloak, revealing her elaborate dress and wand, and the audience reacted, giving Rachel the satisfaction that they were, in fact, along for the ride.

In a few moments, Rachel began to "transform" the pumpkin, mice, et al. into their evolved states. Marsha's body double was in place, back facing the audience, as her costume change occurred offstage. Rachel used her wand to its best advantage; whether twirling it like a baton, punctuating the air, or keeping time with the orchestra, she was able to keep the audience engaged in the action. The wand "tricks" may have appeared extemporaneous, but they had been carefully choreographed in order to ensure that each bit of business was precisely timed with the music, lighting, smoke machine, and appearance of each "enchanted" object. Marsha swapped places with her body double and emerged (to applause) fully dressed, stepped into the "carriage", and they completed their number. Rachel explained the "curfew", and Marsha exited the stage. Rachel then turned to the audience and smiled; she snapped her fingers and the stage went black again, effectively ending the scene.

Rachel ran offstage into a warm hug from Jesse, the sweet sound of clapping and cheering ringing in her ears. "Congratulations, Rachel!" he commended her, "that was awesome!" "Thanks, Jesse," she acknowledged, exhaling deeply; "it was _amazing_! "You'd better get in place, you're on next," she reminded him. Jesse left, and Rachel could now relax…for a while. She wasn't onstage again for at least half an hour, and her other appearances weren't nearly as extensive. She remembered what Cindy had said about being the "catalyst" and had concluded that she was right. Even if Marsha had a (substantially) larger part, and, quite frankly, was the emotional center of the show, she was enjoying being the character who "stirred the pot", so to speak, and she was more than satisfied, especially for her first appearance in a Tisch production.

All too soon, the play ended, and the cast was presented for their curtain calls. Rachel was fortunate enough to have been paired with Jesse, who also had a featured part, and they walked out hand in hand. He and Rachel bowed/curtsied to the audience, and then to each other amidst thunderous applause. By the time they arrived onstage, the crowd was already on their feet, so _technically_ they received a standing ovation. Each of them was grinning from ear to ear, immensely happy with their efforts that evening as well as finally comfortable in their status as friends. They waved to the audience and moved to the side to make way for the remaining performers.

Rachel was on an emotional high unlike anything she had experienced before, even when she had played "Maria" the previous year, or after McKinley's win at Nationals. She hung up her dress and cloak and removed her wig, placing it on the bust for tomorrow's performances, and then washed away her stage makeup, watching the remainder of the "Fairy Godmother" run down the drain for the night. She released her hair, combing it out, and finished dressing in her street clothes, a contented smile firmly planted on her face

Rachel left the theater, spying Noah standing to the side and running into his open arms. "Baby, you were _fan-fuckin-tastic!_" he commented enthusiastically. They kissed, and once the kiss had broken, looked deeply into each other's eyes. "Oh, Noah, that was _so much fun_!" she exclaimed. "You're a natural, Rach; no denying it," he agreed. She buried her head in his chest, taking his presence in. "I'm so glad you were here tonight, Noah," she proclaimed. "Wouldn't be anywhere else, Baby," he avowed. Rachel raised her head and looked around; "Noah, where's Kurt?" she asked concernedly. Kurt called out, "Over here, Rachel," and Rachel turned in the direction of Kurt's voice…

* * *

**Author's Note**: To Be Continued… ;-) Feedback is always appreciated.


	37. Chapter 37

Chapter 37

Once Noah released Rachel from their tender embrace, she turned toward Kurt's voice, Noah's arm now firmly around her shoulders. Her mouth literally dropped open and her eyes welled up; along with Kurt were her fathers, as well as Santana and Sam. They all rushed up at once, hugging her in turn and heaping praises for her performance.

"Did we surprise you, Rachel?" Kurt inquired. "Y…yes," Rachel haltingly answered. "Dad, Daddy; why didn't you _tell_ me?" she asked, laughing through her tears. "We just talked this morning." "Noah and Kurt wanted to surprise you, Pumpkin," LeRoy responded. "How could we miss your opening night?" Hiram teased. "And _you two_…" Rachel mock-scolded Santana and Sam. "It means the world to me that you're here, but, Samuel, how could you miss school?" "Rach, I got permission to go _and_ did homework on the ride in, just in case you're interested," he responded. "By the way, Mr. Schue and Ms. P send their best; and the rest of the gang, too. You were awesome, by the way," he commended her, kissing her on the cheek. "Thank you, Samuel," she modestly replied, tears waning.

"Santana, how could you keep this from me?" Rachel questioned her friend. "Puck had this fuckin' brilliant idea," she replied, "and I thought it was _so cool_, and…here I am." "I'm beyond happy that you're here," Rachel admitted. "You're staying with us, of course." "Yeah, Kurt said that's the plan," she agreed. "'Trouty' is crashing with Puck, and your dads already checked into their motel, and I _finally_ get to see your place," she explained with a self-satisfied smirk.

"Rachel, dear, you must be starving," her Daddy offered. "Let's get something to eat before we take you home for the night." Rachel was suddenly aware of her empty stomach, reminding her that the last meal she ate was minimal and at least six hours ago. Rachel smiled, responding, "Actually, that would be a very good idea. I'm sure you're all pretty hungry by now, too." "Yeah," Santana agreed, "I could use a little snack about now." "There's a café not too far from here," Rachel suggested. "The food's pretty good, and the coffee's great…which I could use about now," she concluded with a grin, crying abated for the evening. "OK, Baby, lead the way," Noah requested, taking her hand, and the group followed Rachel to the restaurant.

Once they were seated and their orders taken, Rachel relaxed, appearing to have come down from her post-performance "high". She sat next to Noah, his arm draped over the back of her chair and her head resting on his shoulder. She looked at Hiram inquisitively, asking "Daddy, if you two are here, where are Bubbe and Zadie?" "At home in Columbus, honey," he answered. "Zadie said that it was too cold to travel all the way to Lima. They'll be celebrating Thanksgiving with Sophie and Max this year," he explained.

"I'll miss them," Rachel pouted. "If you'd like, you can go with Debbie when she takes Nana Connie home next Saturday and spend the day with them," he suggested. "I'll go too, Rach," Noah offered. "Will you need a ride to the airport?" Santana volunteered. "No, thanks, Santana," Noah replied. "Actually, we're renting a car and driving each way. With the time it takes to get to and from the airport, and baggage pickup and stuff, it's only a couple more hours by car, and, dividing the expenses by three, it's way cheaper." "If you'd like, I'll pick up the car in Lima and get you on Sunday morning," Kurt volunteered. "Thanks, Kurt, that'll be perfect," Rachel commented, acknowledging his thoughtfulness.

"Since your Bubbe and Zadie won't be joining us," LeRoy interjected, "we've invited Sam's family to visit for the holiday. He hasn't been to Kentucky in a while, and this will also give Stevie and Stacie a chance to reconnect with some of their old friends." "Yeah, thanks again, Mr. B.," Sam responded gratefully. "They're all lookin' forward to it, and Mom says she's gonna bake some apple pies when they get here. Trust me, her apple pie is a little slice 'a heaven," he averred, grinning broadly.

The group enjoyed their late night snack and conversation until Rachel yawned openly, the caffeine having lost any possible effect on her. Noah grinned fondly at Rachel, stating "It seems our star is in need of some well-earned sleep." Rachel smiled contentedly and burrowed further into Noah's chest. LeRoy chuckled and Hiram quietly exclaimed "Awww." They paid the check and left the café to walk the couple of blocks to where LeRoy's SUV was parked.

Rachel and Kurt, along with Santana, were dropped off at their apartment, and Noah and Sam at the duplex, after which Hiram and LeRoy returned to their motel for the night.

"This is really cool," Santana remarked as she looked around the room. "Thanks, San," Rachel sleepily said. "I'm taking a shower and going to bed. I'll leave you in Kurt's capable hands," she offered with a smile. She hugged Santana and then Kurt, went into her bedroom, grabbed her night clothes, and entered into the bathroom, closing the door behind her.

"May I offer you something to drink, Santana?" asked Kurt, always the good host. "Got a beer?" she requested. "No," Kurt replied. "You've _got_ to be kidding," Santana exclaimed. "Puck has at least three fake IDs that I know about." "I'm sure you're right, Santana," Kurt agreed, "but keeping that scholarship is far more important, and he won't do anything to jeopardize it." "Thanks, Kurt; I get it," Santana acquiesced. "Maybe some water?" "That I most certainly can do," he responded, presenting her with a bottle of water in short order.

Santana opened her bottle and took a drink, relaxing into the sofa. Kurt, ever the gossip hunter, began the conversation without mincing any words: "What's up with you and Brittany, Santana?" She looked at Kurt incredulously; "Geez, Hummel, I'm not in your place ten minutes when you begin the interrogation." "Sorry, Santana," Kurt apologized, backing down a bit, "I was just wondering…with you in Columbus and Britt in Lima, it's hard to keep a relationship going."

"Very true," she agreed, taking a sip of water. "Ya' know, Britts loves everybody, and, right now, she's kinda into ol' 'Trouty'…" "You mean _Sam_?" Kurt interjected. "Yeah," she confirmed. "From what I can tell, it's mutual. She talked about him nonstop when she visited, and every third word out of his mouth on this trip was 'Brittany _this_' or 'Brittany _that_'. He even likes her cat, and trust me, that is _one weird animal_," she concluded. "How do you feel about it, Santana," Kurt asked concernedly. "Actually, I'm pretty OK with it," she answered, a slight smile emerging her face. "I was pissed at first, but nobody can stay mad at Britts for long. She'll always be my best friend, no matter _who_ either of us ends up with," she explained. "Have you met anybody?" Kurt asked, trying hard to mask his intense curiosity. "A few girls through this group I joined for gay and bi- students," she replied. "Gone out on a couple of dates, but nothing has 'clicked' so far. Not everyone can be like the 'Princess and the Frog'," she mused, nodding her head toward Rachel's bedroom, where she had retired for the night. "Besides, I'm way too young to settle down. Gotta have some fun…do some living, first!" she declared.

"How 'bout you, 'Porcelain'?" Santana teased. "Met anyone since Blaine 'Warbler' is out 'a the picture?" Kurt blushed slightly. Santana, who missed very little, noticed his embarrassed reaction. "Spill, Hummel," she demanded; "who is he?" "His name is Adam Crawford; he's a senior at NYADA, and I met him when Jesse St. James brought him to the Halloween party at a karaoke club in the city." "Think this could get serious?" she asked with a sly grin. "He's very nice, but he'll be graduating in the spring, and I don't know what his plans are after that." Kurt exhaled, continuing, "Besides, Blaine will be here in the fall. You're right, Santana; we're too young to settle down," he concurred.

Changing the subject, Kurt inquired, "Have you thought about declaring a major?" "Yeah, Kurt, I have," she replied. "Meeting different people at school and hearing their stories, I realized I want to help kids like us…you know, gay kids, kids who've been bullied, kids like Dave who act out and then turn on themselves…" she trailed off in thought. "That's very selfless, Santana," Kurt commented. "I've been wrapped up in myself my whole life. I'm starting to see the 'bigger picture', and I think I want to make a difference," she avowed. "I'm just not sure how. I don't think I have the compassion to be a 'shrink'…" "Maybe that's what it takes, though," he offered, "somebody who's objective rather that compassionate…who isn't afraid to 'tell it like they see it'." "I'm gonna take a psych class and a pre-law class and see if anything 'clicks', anyway" she explained. "That's one of the good things about OSU; there's a little bit of everything, so you can figure out what you wanna do…if you don't already know," she concluded.

Santana yawned, and Kurt joined her. "Let's get this bed made up for you," he offered, "then you can take a shower, or wait until morning, if you'd rather." "No," she replied, "I think I'll do that tonight. It's been a long day, and I'd like to clean up before I go to sleep." The two teens made up the pull-out bed, and Kurt gave Santana some fresh towels. "If you don't mind, I'd like to wash up, first," Kurt offered. "I'll shower in the morning." "Works for me," Santana obliged. "'Night, Kurt. Thanks again."

* * *

**Author's Note**: Was anybody surprised? Hope you're still hanging in there. Only a few more chapters to go...


	38. Chapter 38

Chapter 38

Saturday morning brought Hiram and LeRoy bearing enough food for a small army, with Noah and Sam in tow. Everybody pitched in to get breakfast on the table. Kurt brought out a couple of folding chairs, and although it was a tight squeeze, nobody minded in the least. "What are your plans for today?" Rachel asked the group. "I thought we'd go downtown," Kurt suggested, "and check out Macy's windows." "Oh, yes, that's a _wonderful_ idea," she agreed. "Decorating the store like that for Christmas is a dying art."

"We're Jewish, Rach," Noah gently reminded her. "Why would you even care about something like that?" "I beg to differ, Noah," Hiram interjected, "but Rachel is right; it _is_ a dying art." "Back 'in the day'", he began, "all of the major cities had large regional downtown stores, and decorating the windows for Christmas was a huge deal," he explained. "In fact, I remember one time when your grandfather took all of us kids… you know, your aunts, your mom, Soph, and me Downtown to walk around the old Lazarus department store and see all of the displays," he recalled.

"_It was a lot of fun, even for a group of Jewish kids who didn't celebrate the holiday." _He paused, looking at Noah. "Your grandfather was a good man, Noah; he was like a second father to me. You would have really liked him._ Anyway…we were taking everything in, laughing, enjoying ourselves, and up walks Mrs. Gladstone from synagogue." Hiram smiled as he attempted to mimic the lady. "'Cantor Cohen, what are you doing here? This is for Christians.' Your grandfather smiled and politely explained, 'Why, the same thing you're doing here, Mrs. Gladstone; spending time with my kids and showing them something they'll enjoy.'" Hiram chuckled at the anecdote. "She walked away in a huff, embarrassed because he had only spoken the truth."_

"Well, it sounds cool to me," Santana proclaimed. "Yeah, I agree," Sam concurred. "Maybe I can sit on Santa's lap," Santana offered slyly. "No, Brittany says that Santa never comes until Thanksgiving Day," Sam corrected her. "She's a little confused on the details, but she still believes," he explained with a slightly lopsided, thoroughly smitten grin. "OK, then," Kurt interjected, "we'll go downtown this morning." "After we drop Rach off," Noah clarified. "Yes, Pumpkin, and we'll pick you up after the matinee and take in an early dinner," LeRoy confirmed. "And get ya' back in plenty of time for the next performance," Noah reassured her. "I wish I could spend the whole day with you guys," Rachel wistfully confessed. "We do, too, Honey," Hiram agreed, "you did an amazing job last night, and you'll do it again today, twice." "Thank you, Daddy," she replied, blushing slightly.

Once breakfast was completed and the table cleared, the five students spent the remainder of the morning with their homework. When Rachel was ready to leave, they took LeRoy's SUV to the NYU campus, where they parked the car in a nearby structure. Rachel was dropped off at the stage door, and the remaining party grabbed a bus for the short drive downtown. Moments after she entered the dressing area, Rachel began her transformation to "Fairy Godmother". As she was applying the wig, Jesse approached her.

"Hi, Rachel," he greeted her. "Good morning, Jesse," she replied. "Rachel…" he hesitantly began. "Yes, Jesse?" she inquired as she adjusted her wig, pinning it into place. "Rachel, I talked with Shelby." Rachel stopped what she was doing and folded her hands. "And…" she prompted him. "She has another interview on Monday, and she'll be here tomorrow to see the show." "Jesse, why should that matter to me?" she asked. "She's made her feelings perfectly clear, and I'm tired of her mind games."

"Because her sister can't take Beth, so Shelby will be bringing her," he explained. Rachel smiled inquisitively. "Jesse, Shelby didn't put you up to this, did she?" Jesse shook his head "no". "If Puckerman is waiting for you, maybe he'll have a chance to see Beth," he conspired. "Do you think she'd feel ambushed and leave?" she questioned. "I don't know, Rachel, but at least it's worth a shot," he thoughtfully replied. "Thank you, Jesse," Rachel sincerely offered. "This means a lot to us. I'll text Noah now and let him know; he'll probably want to pick up a toy for her."

His mission accomplished, Jesse retreated to complete his makeup and dress for the first act. He realized that Rachel and Noah only had the child's best interests at heart. Although Shelby did love the little girl, she often let her personal feelings supersede providing Beth the opportunity to know her father and sister, even if they were introduced as "Aunt" and "Uncle" or even "Mommy's friends". He had decided to act the part of a "fairy godfather", himself; he only hoped that Shelby would behave like an adult…or the situation could all blow up in his face.

* * *

Another exhilarating performance under her belt, the sweet sound of applause still ringing in her ears, and Rachel was eager to meet up with her fathers and close friends for a light meal before the evening performance. She exited the theater, greeted almost immediately by her entourage. Noah and Rachel kissed, and he threw his arm around her shoulders before guiding her toward the restaurant. "How was it, Noah? Did you have fun?" she inquired. "Yeah, actually, it was pretty cool, even with the 'Santa stuff'," he admitted. "Nothing like that in Lima, that's for sure." "At least, not any more," she agreed. "After all, there aren't windows to decorate at the Lima Mall." She paused thoughtfully, and then queried "Did you pick up something for Beth?" "Yeah, I did," he answered. "Got her a little stuffed dinosaur…" Out of a sparkly gift bag came a small stuffed pink dinosaur with purple scales and a tuft of purple hair on its head. "Look, it has a Mohawk," he pointed out, grinning. Rachel chuckled softly. "A little 'Puckasaurus', that's adorable," she quietly commented. "Yeah, I hope she likes it…" he mused.

Over lively dinner conversation, everyone discussed the events of their day. Kurt had enjoyed playing "tour guide", and the group had fun that afternoon. All too soon, it was time for Rachel to return to the theater and prepare for the evening's performance. "How do you guys feel about ice skating at Rockefeller Center?" Kurt suggested. Sam and Santana both brightened up at the thought; after all, it sounded like a very "New York" thing to do. "Sounds like fun," Santana weighed in. "If it's all the same to you, kids, we'll just watch from the sidelines," LeRoy offered. "I'm gonna have to back out," Noah interjected, and his friends murmured their regrets. "I have a lot of work to catch up on, so I'm going to the campus library. I'll meet everybody by the stage door when the show gets out," he explained.

Bill paid, the group walked to the car, where Noah picked up his backpack. They then parted ways, Rachel and Noah heading toward the theater and everybody else to catch a bus for their destination. At the stage door, Noah and Rachel kissed, but before he could walk away, Rachel had an epiphany. She tugged on his sleeve; "Yeah, Rach?" he inquired. "Noah, I just thought of something…there's an office in back. You can use it to study, and you don't have to walk to the library and back by yourself." She smiled hopefully at him, and his expression mirrored hers. "Do ya' think it'd be ok, Rach?" he inquired. Rachel took Noah's hand. "Come with me and we'll find out," she instructed, leading the way.

Rachel hunted down Mr. Allen, the director. "Ross, you remember my boyfriend, Noah," she inquired, reintroducing them. "Of course, Rachel," he agreed. "How are you, Noah?" "Fine, thanks, Ross; you?" he replied. "I'm well, thank you," he countered. "Ross, would it be OK if Noah uses the office to study during the performance," she inquired politely. "I'd feel much better if he could stay here instead of walking to the library and back alone tonight." "Sure, Rachel, no problem," he accommodated. "Thanks, Ross! Come on, Noah, I'll show you where it is." Rachel took Noah by the hand and led him down a corridor to a small office with a desk and chair, a white board, some office supplies, and a telephone. "You should be OK in here, Noah. I'll pick you up after the show." Rachel kissed Noah on the cheek and exited quickly, eager to don her assumed persona for the evening's show.

Noah was immersed in his homework when he heard a gentle tapping at the door. He looked up to see Rachel, smiling gently and dressed to leave. He gathered his belongings and put on his jacket, and the couple exited the theater together, quickly finding their enthusiastic makeshift family.

"Kurt's been telling us about this place 'Callbacks'," Sam explained, "and it sounds like fun." "Yeah," Santana chimed in, "the evening's young and I'm ready to _party_!" "That sounds great, kids," Hiram agreed, "but my husband and I are calling it a night. We'll see you all in the morning." Rachel kissed her fathers, and the others said their goodbyes, and Hiram and LeRoy left to pick up the car and return to their motel.

"Guys, I'm sure it'll be great, but I'm exhausted," Rachel admitted. "If you don't mind, I'd like to go home and relax." "Kurt, why don't you go with San and Sam?" Noah inquired. "I'll take Rach home and wait for you guys; then Sam and I will head for my place." "OK, Puck," Kurt agreed. "We'll miss you two, but I'm sure Rachel is all done in by now." Rachel smiled wearily, replying, "Oh, I am, Kurt. Thanks for understanding. Now, go and have fun!"

The group parted company; Kurt led his friends toward the club while Rachel and Noah headed toward the subway for home. Upon finally entering the apartment, Rachel hung up her coat, dropped her bag, and sunk down on the sofa, exhausted. Noah went into the kitchen and could be heard running the faucet and filling the kettle, which was then placed on the stove. He sat down next to Rachel, picking her head up from the pillow and placing it gently on his lap.

"Rach, you need to eat something," he advised. "What can I make for you?" Rachel sighed and looked up at him from her unique vantage point and smiled dreamily. "We have the apartment to ourselves and you're talking about food?" she teased him. "I figured you'd be too tired," he replied, smiling. "I am, Noah; I just like being close to you," she admitted. "I never thought I would say these words," Noah replied, "but sex can wait. You need to eat, and you need to rest." Rachel smiled again, pulling herself up and snuggling into him. "I love you, Noah Puckerman," she avowed. "Me, too, Baby," he agreed, kissing her on the cheek.


	39. Chapter 39

Chapter 39

Rachel's fathers drove back to Ohio with Santana and Sam early Sunday morning. By 10:00, Rachel and Noah were standing outside the stage door on the NYU campus. Noah was about to kiss his girlfriend goodbye and head over to the library to study when Rachel took his hand and led him inside. They entered together, and Rachel approached the stage manager. "Mr Richards, this is my boyfriend, Noah Puckerman; Noah, this is Mr. Richards, our stage manager." The men shook hands; Rachel continued, "If it's ok, I'd appreciate it if Noah can come back around four, after the show's over today." "Sure, Rachel, that won't be a problem," the man replied. "Thank you," she responded, and the couple walked away.

"Rach, what was that all about?" Noah inquired. "Noah, if you're inside, Shelby won't see you. Jesse will go out first, and while he's talking with Shelby, we'll walk out together," she explained. "Hopefully she'll stick around, and you can visit with Beth." Noah smiled and kissed Rachel on the forehead. "Gotta' admit it, Baby, you think of everything." "Credit where credit is due, thank Jesse; it was his idea." A chaste kiss on the lips, and then their clasped hands released as he left the building.

Later that afternoon, Rachel emerged from the dressing room, hair neatly brushed and all traces of the stage hung up, packed away, or washed off until the after the Thanksgiving holiday when they reconvened for their final presentations. Still basking in the glow of another exhilarating performance, she greeted Noah, waiting in their designated spot. "Another good show, Baby?" he teased. "Yes, Noah, very good," Rachel replied, sighing a bit. "Time to get back to reality for me; I've got a ton of work to get through before we leave on Wednesday." Jesse passed them by, waving as he exited through the stage door. "Ready, Noah?" Rachel asked. "Yeah, more than ready," he admitted. "Now, it'll be in Shelby's hands."

Rachel and Noah waited a minute and then walked out, his arm around her shoulders and hers at his waist. Almost immediately, they were greeted by Jesse's "Hey, Rachel and Puck! Over here…" he nodded his head to come where he was holding Beth and talking with Shelby. Beth had grown since they had last seen her, and her hair was beginning to turn sandy brown whereas before it was blonde.

"Hello, um, Rachel…Puck," Shelby managed to stammer out. "Rachel, you did a wonderful job out there today," she complemented. "Thank you, Shelby," Rachel replied, politely but with little emotion, as one would answer a relative stranger. Beth had seen Noah and was bouncing in Jesse's arms. "Unca' Jesse, look…Puck!" she exclaimed, smiling happily. "See, Noah, she remembers you," Rachel commented, smiling gently. Beth held her arms out to Noah, and he asked, "Shelby, is it OK if I hold her for a minute?" Although Shelby appeared uncomfortable, she realized it would be rude not to comply. "Um, sure, Puck, go ahead," she grudgingly permitted.

Noah was grinning from ear to ear as he reached out for the little girl, as Jesse gladly relinquished her to his awaiting arms. He played with her and teased her as adults do with toddlers, and then called out, "Say, Rach, would you mind getting that 'thing' from my backpack?" Shelby looked quizzically at Rachel, who offered, "Shelby, Noah bought a stuffed toy for Beth. Would you mind if he gave it to her?" "No, not at all, Rachel; thank you," she answered with a small smile, acknowledging the gift.

Rachel retrieved the toy and walked over to Noah and Beth. "Hi, Bethie! I'm Rachel…this is for you, from Noah," she explained, handing her the toy. "Bethie, can you say 'Puckasaurous'?" he playfully asked. Beth babbled delightedly as Noah and Rachel fussed over her, while Shelby and Jesse watched from the sidelines. "He's really good with her, and she clearly likes him," Jesse observed. Shelby reluctantly had to agree; the three of them seemed to be getting along well, and Beth appeared to be happy and contented in Noah's arms. "Think about it, Shelby," he advised, "their kids will be your grandkids, as well as her half-sisters and brothers. All I'm saying is don't be so quick to shut them out."

"Do you really think they'll get married?" Shelby asked Jesse, a somber expression on her face. "Yeah, I do. From what I've observed, they have a strong relationship. They really seem to balance each other out; he's not the belligerent asshole he was in high school and she's not a self-centered little diva any more." "He was quite the 'lady killer' not too long ago, Jesse; do you think he's changed?" she speculated. "I've seen them together, Shelby, more than once. Trust me; he only has eyes for Rachel."

"Getting back to Beth," Jesse continued, "you realize that some day she'll want to know who her biological parents are, and if he's in her life, it'll be much easier." "Yes, I understand…" Shelby reluctantly agreed, "but Beth is legally _my_ daughter, and _I_ ultimately decide what's best for her," she declared. "Very true, Shelby," Jesse concurred. "Just don't make any hasty decisions, especially based on resentment or jealousy." Jesse looked her straight in the eye, admonishing her: "Don't forget, whatever you put out in the universe eventually comes back at you. Karma's a bitch, Shelby; don't be one, yourself."

Noah and Rachel approached with the child, now walking, each holding one of her hands, and Rachel temporarily managing the stuffed animal. All three were smiling, and Beth was giddy over her new toy, which Rachel returned as soon as they reached their destination. "Thank you for letting us visit with Beth, Shelby," Noah gratefully acknowledged, handing Beth over to her mother, new toy in her tiny hands. "We'd love to stay and talk, but I have to hit the books, now," Rachel explained. "Shelby, if you have the time for us to visit with her, please let us know," Rachel requested. "I'll think about it, Rachel," Shelby replied, again avoiding making a commitment.

"Bye, Bethie," Rachel said to the little girl, gently kissing her cheek. "Bye, Wachel," the child replied. "Mamma, Wachel pwetty; look like you," she observed, causing Shelby to noticeably blanch. Rachel smiled and replied, "Thank you for the lovely compliment, Beth," before squarely looking Shelby in the eye, politely dismissing her with a "Good night, Shelby." "Bye, Beth," Noah said, kissing the child on her forehead. "Thanks, man!" he said to Jesse, acknowledging his orchestration of the encounter. He took Rachel's hand, waived good by with his free hand, and the pair exited the scene for their journey back to Brooklyn.

* * *

**Author's Note**: What do you think? Only a few more chapters to go...


	40. Chapter 40

Chapter 40

Kurt drove the rental car into the Enterprise lot at the Lima Mall on Wednesday around 4:00 in the afternoon. Noah had picked up the car in Brooklyn the evening before and they had taken turns driving to break up the monotony of the long (9+ hours) drive. Although classes were in session the day before Thanksgiving, there was a general understanding that since a majority of the students were from out of state, Wednesday classes would be a little lighter than usual, both in attendance and material covered.

They had plenty of water, and Rachel had packed a cooler of fruit and healthy snacks. Noah made sure there were some more entertaining alternatives (like candy bars) and picked up some coffee and muffins so they could eat breakfast on the road.

Burt had been the designated parent to pick the kids up, and Kurt was excited to see his father. Although they spoke almost daily, they had not seen each other since late August, when the trio first moved to New York. "Dad!" he cried out upon catching sight of him, and the two embraced. "Kurt, looks like you've been working out," Burt commented, backing up a bit to look his son over. Kurt really hadn't thought too much about it. His felt stronger, and his body was more defined, but he didn't realize that it was noticeable. "Yeah," he admitted, "I joined a gym, and Puck showed me how to use the equipment…" "Well, you look great, Son," Burt avowed.

Burt hugged Rachel and shook hands with Noah, informing him, "Noah, I brought somebody who just couldn't wait to see you." "Noah's face was a mixture of puzzlement and appreciation, when his sister, Rebecca ran out, arms outstretched, calling "Happy Birthday, Noey!" He lifted her off the ground and spun her around, then set her down, looking her over. "Becs, you've grown since September," he noticed. The sixth grader had shot up about three inches and was now taller than Rachel. "Becs, if you get any hotter, I'm gonna have to come home and stand guard at the door with a shotgun." Rebecca blushed deeply; she was more flattered than angered by her brother's comments, and replied, "Don't worry, Noey; middle school boys are _gross_." Noah laughed, deciding not to remind her that boys don't stay that way forever.

While Noah was preoccupied with his sister, Rachel took Kurt aside. "Did you remember to pack it?" she inquired quietly. Kurt rolled his eyes, responding, "Yes, of course, don't worry so much. D'you think he suspects anything?" "No," she replied with an impish grin, "I gave him a sweater and some shirts for his birthday this morning, so he probably figures that's the end of it, at least from me." "I love it when you're deceitful, Rachel," Kurt teased. "I'm not deceitful, Kurt, just…well, maybe a little, but my intentions are honorable," she reasoned. "Come on, roomie," Kurt beckoned, walking toward his dad's car, "let's go home."

* * *

By 6:30 PM, everyone in their little group had made their way to Breadstix, where Santana had reserved a table. Originally, the gathering was only for the returning college freshmen, but Kurt had intervened, insisting that their remaining (former) teammates be invited, as well. The only people missing were Sugar Motta, who was with her family in Aspen for the holiday, Joe Hart, visiting family in Zanesville, Finn, who was home sick with the flu, and Lauren Zizes, who had severed all ties after dropping out of the club and thus wasn't invited.

Each of the graduates had stories to tell about their respective lives in New York, Los Angeles, Columbus, Chicago, and New Haven, and the seniors filled in the gaps with the goings-on at McKinley. The graduating seniors had begun applying to colleges and were eager to learn of their friends' experiences.

Quinn described attending an Ivy League school and Rachel talked about working on the play. Santana surprised everyone with her new outlook and potential direction, and Noah and Kurt both confirmed that they had made the right choices and were excited about their future careers. Mike's realization about his desire for a more well-rounded education surprised no one, and they wished him luck with his move to New York for his sophomore year. Mercedes described living in LA and what it was like to work in a recording studio, and her friends interrogated her about what movie stars she had seen.

Tina had already sent in her applications to OSU and Northwestern, and was still on the fence about whether or not to also try Michigan State. Blaine had sent his paperwork to NYU and was considering the University of Michigan (his father was an alumnus and a staunch Wolverines fan) as a backup. Sam was going to pursue a BA in Special Education and was considering both OSU and the University of Kentucky. He discovered that specializing in dyslexia usually occurred at an MA level, and he had also been researching graduate schools.

Brittany still wasn't sure what she wanted to do; her grades had improved, but she still wasn't sure if a BA was in the cards for her. She figured she would attend community college, and she had already begun teaching dance at the studio she had attended as a child. Coach Sylvester had mentioned possibly hiring her as assistant choreographer for the Cheerios, and Brittany seemed excited at the prospect. Artie had decided to pursue directing and had applied to Brooklyn College, NYU, and UCLA to study in their (respective) film schools.

After everyone had eaten their fill of pizza and salad (and breadsticks), Rachel and Santana excused themselves to go to the ladies' room. Shortly thereafter, Kurt received a phone call, and stepped away from the table to take it. A few minutes later, Rachel and Santana returned to the table, carrying a birthday cake with 20 candles (19 plus one for luck) flickering with their movement. Santana announced "A little birdie…or midget told me…" "Hey!" Rachel interjected, "…Sorry, Rach, old habits, ya' know…anyway, Puck, Happy Birthday!" she announced as they placed the cake in front of him.

Noah was embarrassed; he preferred not having a fuss made over him, but he was also pleased and touched that his girlfriend and friends went to so much effort on his behalf. Kurt returned to the table carrying a beautifully wrapped gift, and Noah was serenaded with a chorus of "Happy Birthday", after which he blew out the candles in one breath.

"Thanks, guys," he began, "especially since it wasn't that long ago that I either tossed slushies at you or tossed you in a dumpster or locked you in a porta-poty or…" "That's enough, Noah," Rachel stopped him. "Everybody knows you're a reformed badass…" Noah grinned at Rachel's use of an expletive, which he found to be both cute and sexy, although he kept that opinion to himself. "I may have reformed, but I'll _always_ be a badass, Baby," he interjected, and everybody laughed. Kurt handed Noah the gift, explaining, "This is from all of us, Puck; Happy Birthday." "Thanks, Kurt…guys," he replied, acknowledging their thoughtfulness.

"Well, open it already," Santana called out; "I want my cake." Noah chuckled and proceeded to open the package, tearing through the wrapping paper and opening the box. His friends had purchased a beautiful distressed leather backpack for him to replace the well-worn canvas one he had carried since tenth grade. "This is awesome, guys, thanks!" He turned to Kurt, asking "Kurt did you pick this out?" "Rachel and I found it together, actually," he explained. "Thanks for everything, Baby," he said to Rachel, who was standing behind his chair, and she leaned in for a kiss amidst the cat-calls of their friends. Noah began to slice the cake, plating it for his friends as Rachel added a scoop of ice cream for those who wanted it.

Eventually dessert was consumed, and the kids, either tired from the day's classes and/or their travel back to Lima, were ready to leave for their respective homes and a good night's sleep. After the last of their friends had settled up their bill and left for the night, Noah pulled Rachel onto his lap and kissed her soundly. "Rach, this was awesome, thank you for thinkin' of me." "You're welcome, Noah," she replied. "San and Kurt played a part in this, too, so I can't take all the credit." "Well, it was great," he avowed. "You're amazing, Baby." He kissed her on the cheek and whispered in her ear, "I only wish I could do right now what I wanna do," and nuzzled into her neck. Rachel shivered involuntarily, snuggling against him and sighing. "I'm afraid we'll have to keep until we're back in New York," she regretfully admitted. "Yeah, I know," he agreed. "Don't worry," he reassured her, "it'll be well worth the wait." Rachel extricated herself from his lap and he playfully swatted her on the behind. "Sunday evening can't come too soon, far as I'm concerned," he admitted with a lascivious grin. He helped her on with her coat, and after zipping up his own jacket, they exited the restaurant hand in hand.


	41. Chapter 41

**Author's Note**: There will be no chapter covering Thanksgiving Day. Suffice it to say, everybody had a nice time. :-)

Jewish people celebrate Thanksgiving, and there is nothing that I can think of that would make it stand out as "different" from a non-Jewish family's celebration. If the family keeps Kosher, there would be no dairy products, pork/ham, or shellfish served or used in the food, but those would be the primary differences.

* * *

Chapter 41

Noah pulled into Jake's driveway at 10:30 on Friday morning. As promised, he was taking Jake over to meet his (half-) sister and Noah's family. All things being equal, Noah was going to meet Jake's mother. Initially, he had mixed feelings; after all, this is the woman who took his father away when he was four. He eventually realized that if it hadn't been her, it would have been somebody else, or a string of "somebody elses", and she was just one more unfortunate woman who had been blindsided by the "Puckerman charm".

Jake and his mother lived in a post-war bungalow in a slightly older section of town than where the Puckermans lived, which had been built up in the mid-1960s. As a former landscaper(/pool cleaner), Noah noticed that the beds around the house had been winterized, and it appeared that someone took great care with their garden. He rang the doorbell, and Jake answered it shortly. "Hey, Puck!" he greeted the older boy, and the two shook hands and shared a "bro hug". "C'mon in and meet my mother," he said, drawing Noah into the house and shutting the door behind them.

"Mom! Puck's here," Jake announced, and shortly thereafter, an attractive African-American woman came into the living room where Jake had brought Noah. "You must be Noah, or 'Puck', as Jake calls you. I'm Susan Hilliard," she introduced herself, holding out her hand for a handshake. "Pleased to meet you, Ms. Hilliard," Noah replied, taking her hand and shaking it in greeting. "Please, call me Susan," she corrected him, smiling "Mrs. Hilliard is my mother."

"Have a seat, Noah…or, do you prefer 'Puck'?" "Thanks," Noah responded, sitting down on the sofa. "I'll answer to either," he answered with a grin. "My family and my friends in New York call me 'Noah', but my friends here will probably always call me 'Puck'," he explained. "Well, then, 'Noah', it is," she decided. "I must say, you don't look a lot like Marty, but I do see the resemblance, especially in the jawline," she mused, studying his face for some trace of his father. "With all due respect, Susan, that's just as well, 'cause I would hate to see his face staring back at me in the mirror," he commented, a trace of animosity in his voice. "I can appreciate that," she understandingly replied.

"I just made fresh coffee; would you like some?" she offered. "Thanks, that would be great," Noah answered. "Jake, would you please get Noah a cup of coffee?" Susan requested. "Sure, Mom. D'you take sugar or anything, Puck?" Jake asked. "No, thanks, black is great," Noah explained. Jake went to the kitchen to get Noah his coffee, and his mother took advantage of the time to speak privately with Noah.

"Jake's had a tough time since we moved back here from Cleveland Heights," she explained, lowering her voice. "He had a lot of friends, and it was hard on him leaving at the end of his freshman year." Susan sighed, continuing, ", "He was on the JV basketball and baseball teams and attended dance classes after school. I hated to leave, but the real estate market tanked, and this job was an opportunity to move back home." She looked at Noah concernedly before resuming, "The community is much more diverse there, and he was accepted without question. Here, he was mocked and harassed until he couldn't take it, and he started to lash out," she explained. "The 'Puckerman temper' in action, no doubt," Noah observed wryly, and she nodded in return. "Apparently so," she conceded.

Susan smiled genuinely before remarking "I can't thank you enough for stepping up, and Mr. Scheuster, too, for contacting you in the first place. Since you've been talking with Jake, he's becoming more like his old self, and he's beginning to make friends again." Noah smiled in return and was going to respond when Jake reentered and handed him a mug of coffee. "Should my ears be burning?" he asked teasingly. "Of course, dear," his mother answered. "That's what moms do when their kids are out of earshot; talk about them." Noah commented, "Wait 'till you meet Ma; she'll probably pull out the baby pictures and embarrass the shi…well, embarrass me," he concluded.

Susan, Jake, and Noah chatted for a while. Noah had reached the conclusion that Susan was an extremely nice woman, probably (like his mother) way too good for the likes of his father. As he set his mug down, he glanced at his watch and noticed the time. "Thanks for the coffee, Susan, but we need to get going. Becs is so excited to meet Jake that if we take much longer, she'll probably start bouncing off the walls," he described with a chuckle. "I'm warnin' you, man; the girl's 11 going on 25 and has absolutely no filter, so she's likely to say anything that pops into her head."

The brothers arrived at Noah's ten minutes after they had left Jake's. Noah's key was barely in the lock when the door was opened by a wildly grinning Rebecca. She pulled a startled Jake into a huge hug and began excitedly rambling "Hi, you must be Jake!...I'm your sister Rebecca…Boy, you're cute!...Do ya' have a girlfriend? Noey says I can't have a boyfriend until I'm, like, 30…How old are you, Jake?..I'm 11, but I'll be 12 in February…What grade are you in?...I'm in 6th grade, and I play soccer…do you play sports, Jake?..." Noah laughingly removed his sister from Jake, gently admonishing her, "Becs, breathe, OK? You're gonna scare him off; he'll think we're all crazy here." "That's OK, Puck, really," Jake insisted, but Rebecca's enthusiasm had been dampered, at least temporarily.

Rebecca glowered at Noah. "Fine," she pouted, leaving the boys momentarily alone. "They're probably in the kitchen," Noah advised Jake, and the two boys entered the kitchen, where Debbie and Nana Connie were chatting over tea at the kitchen table. They both looked up expectantly as Noah and Jake walked in. "Ma, Nana, this is Jake. Jake, this is my mother, Debbie Puckerman and my Nana, Mrs. Cohen," he introduced them. Jake shook hands with Debbie, saying, "Nice to meet you, Mrs. Puckerman." "Please call me Debbie, hon. We're family, after all," she acknowledged. "Thanks, Debbie," he replied, smiling shyly. Jake turned his attention to Nana Connie, shaking her hand and saying, "Mrs. Cohen…" "Nonsense, dear," she interjected, covering his hand with her free one and looking up at him inquisitively, "call me 'Nana Connie'; everybody does."

"Sit down, boys," Nana Connie instructed (and they did, of course). "Would you like something to eat?" she inquired. "No, thanks, Nana, maybe later," Noah replied. "How about you, dear?" she asked, looking directly at Jake. "No thanks, ma'am…er…Nana Connie," he responded, earning a smile from the lady. "So, nu, tell me about yourself, dear," she requested, looking pointedly at Jake. Soon Jake was engaged in conversation, opening up to people who were, for all intents and purposes, relative strangers; yet, as time progressed and he learned more about them, and they him, were rapidly blossoming into extended family.

As the afternoon progressed (over lunch, of course) Jake found out that both he and Noah excelled at basketball and baseball, and although Jake played the guitar, Noah also played piano and (of all things) the accordion. Noah discovered that Jake had been a surrogate big brother to his younger female cousins and had helped take care of them from an early age, much as he had with his sister. Before Debbie had a chance to pull out the old photo albums, Noah (fortunately ;-)) realized that it was time to take Jake home.

After exchanging good-byes, Noah and Jake got into Noah's truck for the short ride back. "Your family's cool, Puck," Jake commented. "Thanks again for inviting me to meet them." "Glad to, little bro," he replied. "Becs was ecstatic to meet you, as you could tell," he said with a grin. "I think Ma was glad to put a name with a face; after all, the first time you got in trouble, they called her instead of your mom," he advised. "You're kidding…" Jake remarked, momentarily taken aback. Noah laughed, explaining, "No, I'm serious. My Nana told me. Seems they figured the name and personality fit, and they practically had a 'hot line' to Ma's cell phone..." "I'm sorry, man," Jake apologized. "No worries, everything's copacetic," his brother confirmed. "Huh?" Jake questioned. "I mean, everything's cool, now."

"When I get home after finals, maybe we'll get together with our mothers," Noah suggested. "Yeah, actually, I think they'll get along," Jake commented. "If nothing else, they'll probably bond over what our prick of a father did to them," Noah slyly observed. "I barely remember him," Jake mused. "Consider yourself lucky, bro," Noah reassured him. "He was never 'father of the year', that's for sure." Noah didn't elaborate, and Jake decided not to push for details, especially as they had just turned onto Jake's street.

When they reached Jake's house and pulled into the driveway, he unbuckled his seatbelt and got out of the truck. "Are we picking you up later for San's party?" Noah asked. "Yeah, if it's not too much trouble," Jake replied. "'Course not, man. Rach and I'll see you later." Noah waved, pulling out of the driveway as Jake entered his home.

* * *

**Author's Note**: Thanks for sticking with this. One last chapter, which will probably be posted tomorrow.


	42. Chapter 42

**Author's Notes**: The original plan was for this story to end with a post-Thanksgiving party at Santana's, so as to begin and end with an upbeat holiday party with the kids comparing notes, etc, sort of like bookends. With the untimely death of Mr. Monteith, I decided to forgo that, replacing it with a chapter where Finn has passed away and his friends gather together to help each other heal.

We will all grieve for the loss of loved ones at some point in our lives. It is different for each of us, both in duration and how we cope with the situation. Although we never truly get over someone's death, we do get through it. We go back to school or to work. Initially, it's very hard, because while life has gone on for everybody else, our life has been irreparably changed, and there is a huge hole that a person used to fill. Somebody tells a joke and people laugh; we want to scream at them, "Nothing is funny, assholes, my (fill-in-the-blank) has died, how can you laugh?" Of course, we don't say that, but maybe find a secluded spot and have a good cry. Time passes, and things begin to feel more normal. Eventually, when we hear a joke, we laugh, too, and we can listen to music again. Spouses remarry; boyfriends and girlfriends left behind fall in love again.

Ultimately, "Glee" is a TV show, and it is a job to the actors, writers, directors, technical people, etc. They will go back to work, and they will mourn the loss of their friend and cast mate, but life will go on, and they will laugh again, and sing again, and love again. It is human nature, and it is a reality of life.

Following please find the final chapter.

* * *

Chapter 42

The close-knit group of college and high school students sat around in Rachel's basement, traces of disbelief and sadness still etched in their faces. It was New Year's Eve, a time of celebration, but nobody was in a party mood. The day before, their friend and teammate, Finn Hudson, had been killed in an accident.

_Finn and three of his friends from OSU had driven down to Florida for a few days to stay at one of the boys' grandparents' condo. According to his Facebook page, they had a great time. On the ride back, there had been a sudden snowstorm, resulting in whiteout conditions. Per one of the survivors, it happened so quickly that there was no time to react and get off the road. Two of the boys had been killed, while the other two sustained broken bones and contusions, heartbroken over the loss of their friends. The funeral was to be held on January 2nd. Burt had made the arrangements since Carol, Finn's mom, was too bereft to do so._

Many tears had been shed, but, for the present, although their hearts were heavy, their eyes were dry. For many of them, it was the first time that someone close to them had passed away, and it would be the first funeral they would attend.

"I still can't believe it," Quinn's soft voice punctuated the heavy silence. "Yeah, I know," Santana agreed. "He was a big dork, but he was _our_ big dork." "Santana," Rachel chided, "don't speak ill of the dead." Noah, who had barely left Rachel's side since receiving the news, comfortingly pulled her a bit closer. "I'm not, Rach," Santana explained, "just tellin' it like it is…er, _was_," she sadly corrected herself.

"Mr. Schue's been a wreck," Mercedes confided. "I stopped over this afternoon to see how he was doing. He and Ms. P. were gonna have a big wedding in a couple of months, but their hearts aren't in it, now." Mercedes sighed heavily before continuing. "Ms. P. told me they cancelled those plans, and they're getting married in her church, and only having their immediate families and a couple of close friends." "Yeah," Blaine agreed, "he'd asked Finn to stand up for him, but that's not happening any more," he observed despondently.

"I've never been to a funeral, before," Marley said, her voice barely above a whisper. "That's OK, Mar," Jake reassured her, "we'll get through it together." "Is there gonna be a viewing?" Sam asked, brokenly. "No," Mike replied, "Carol didn't want it. She said her goodbyes, and the casket will be closed." Rachel shuddered inwardly; she had been to a funeral for her great-aunt, a woman she barely knew, but Jewish tradition doesn't incorporate an extended viewing and visitation at a funeral home, or an open casket at the service. She was relieved that she would not have to experience that, because she didn't know how she would have been able to handle it. "I, for one, am grateful for that," Kurt admitted, Blaine's arm wrapped around his shoulders. "I want to remember Finn the way he was when he left for Florida, not laid out in a coffin."

The thought of that somber image set Brittany, seated between Sam and Santana, crying again, both of her friends doing their best to console her. "It's OK, Brit," Santana said, "we'll be OK." "Yeah, we'll be OK, but we'll never be the same, again," Brittany tearfully replied. "I've been friends with Finn since I was a kid; I'll really miss him."

"Yeah, I remember when it was the five of us…" Noah reminded Brittany, "…you and Rach, Mike, Finn, and me. Rachel smiled wistfully, and began: "I remember one time; it was raining, and we were about five years old…"

"_Nanna Connie was baby sitting and sat us down in front of the TV with a VHS tape of 'Peter Pan' with Mary Martin. After it was over, Brittany decided that we should play 'Peter Pan'. First I wanted to be 'Peter', but Finn told me that I couldn't because I was a girl. I was about to tell him that Mary Martin was a girl, but Nanna Connie caught me and gave me the eye to stop talking."_

"Like that ever worked," Noah interjected. Rachel slapped him playfully on the arm, straightened up, and continued:"

"_Anyway, I didn't say anything about that, and Finn decided that he would be 'Peter'. I wanted to be 'Wendy', but you" she turned to Noah, "told me I was too little."_

"Well, you always were pint-sized," he commented with a chuckle. Rachel rolled her eyes and carried on with the story:

"_So, Brittany handed out the remaining roles; she would be 'Wendy', Noah would be 'Captain Hook', Mike would be 'Mr. Smee', and I would be 'Tinkerbell'."_

"Always a badass, even at five," Noah cockily commented.

"_We ad-libbed and role-played as five-year-olds do. Apparently, 'Tinkerbell' is pretty snarky, and she is quoted as using the expression 'silly ass' _(Rachel air-quoted)_. The boys, of course, thought this was hilarious and made sure that I said it as often as possible. Mike and Noah kept straight faces (pretty much), but Finn snickered every time. When Dad picked me up after work, he asked me what we did that afternoon, and I told him how we had watched the movie, role-played, and so on. Then Finn piped up, 'Ray-chel, tell your Dad what 'Tinkerbell' says' with a big, dopey grin plastered on his face. Dad said, 'What does she say, Pumpkin?' and naïve little me, I said 'Silly Ass', very pleased with myself. The four of them started convulsing with laughter, and my Dad said, sternly, 'Rachel, I don't think that's what she says.' 'Yes she does, Dad,' I explained. 'Well, if that's the case, whether she says it or not, you will not, or we'll be forced to wash your mouth out with soap.' I took my play-acting very seriously, and I stamped my foot and glared at Finn, who by now was laughing so hard that he couldn't even speak."_

Brittany smiled through her tears, fondly remembering the incident. "That's OK, Rachel, we got him back for you," Mike assured her, beginning his anecdote:

"_When we were in seventh grade, Finn, Puck, Matt Rutherford and I had a sleep-over at Puck's house. We were playing video games in the family room and Finn fell asleep on the couch. Matt had the brilliant idea of trying to convince Finn that he had lost his hearing. We turned the sound effects off and Puck nudged Finn to wake him up. We moved our lips, but didn't say anything, and acted as if nothing was different; you know, playing the game, arguing, and so on, but silently. Finn was like 'guys, what's going on', and we looked at him innocently, mouthing 'nothing, why, what's wrong…' ya' know, stuff like that. We kept him going for about five minutes and he was really panicking, thinking that he had been struck deaf, when Puck's mom apparently had to use the bathroom. He heard the toilet flush, and the game was over. He was really pissed, and we laughed so hard that Mrs. P. had to come down and take the game controller away so we would quiet down and go to sleep."_

"That was _epic_," Puck admitted, if a bit ruefully. "I still can't watch 'Night of the Living Dead' without thinking about the time Finn decided to plan for the 'zombie apocalypse'." Mike chuckled, interjecting, "Yeah, I remember that, too. What was on that list…guns, blowtorches…beer…cheese puffs, beef jerky…toilet paper?" Noah recalled:

"_We had just started ninth grade, and I was fresh off my first summer of pool cleaning." _(Rachel rolled her eyes, realizing that he primarily meant being seduced by Lima's coterie of sexually frustrated housewives.)_ "Mike and I were at Finn's house watchin' TV when the movie came on, and we started discussing what would happen if that was true. Finn got inspired and began writing a list while we debated what should go on it. After we started running out of ideas, I told him that we needed girls if we wanted to re-populate the world once the zombies were defeated. Finn and Mike were pretty embarrassed, 'cause neither of them had been with a girl, yet. Mike decided he'd take Brittany…"_

"Thanks, Mikey," Brittany piped up, smiling, while Sam glared in Mike's direction, tightening his arm around Brittany in the process, and Tina sighed in frustration. "Tina, I didn't even _know_ you then," Mike explained, attempting damage control. Noah continued:

"_Finn was kinda reluctant and said he didn't know; Quinn had just moved here and he hadn't met her, yet, but he thought she was pretty; I told him she was probably a bitch."_

"Thanks loads, Puckerman," Quinn wryly interjected. "Any time, Fabray," he retorted with a smirk.

"Why don't you tell them who you chose, Puck?" Mike challenged. "I really don't think that's necessary; this is about Finn, not me," he deflected, attempting to dodge the question. "Well, then, _I'll _tell," Mike said, smiling slyly as he took over the narrative.

"_Finn said 'Who would you take, Puck?' Puck thought about it for a minute before he replied that it would be important to keep the Jewish religion alive, so he would have to take Rachel. Finn was dumbfounded: 'What the fuck? You can't stand Rachel,' he said, 'she never shuts up. You said she makes you wanna light yourself on fire!'"_

Rachel elbowed Noah in the ribs, and he reacted "Ow, woman, watch it!" "Light yourself on fire? Thanks, Noah!" she retorted. Mike continued:

"_I realized that Puck actually liked Rachel, and we both started teasing him. He got really defensive, and he was bigger than both of us at that time, so we backed off, but he never denied it. The movie had gotten pretty exciting by that point…maybe the zombies had gotten into the house or something, and we went back to watching it."_

"And look at them, now," Santana commented teasingly, "The couple most likely to…have a baby before our five-year reunion." Their friends laughed; although Rachel's expression registered her opposition to the idea, Noah smiled, saying nothing, gently drawing Rachel closer again.

"I only met Finn this year," Marley admitted, "but the glee club really looked up to him. He took the bus in from Columbus to help Ms. Holliday with the club, and the play, too." "That's true," Jake agreed. "He made each of us feel important. I didn't know him very well, but he seemed like a great guy." "He was," Quinn concurred. "He had his flaws; we all do, but he always tried to do the right thing.

"Look, nobody's gonna say this, so I'm putting it out there," Santana began. "Finn was a 'popularity whore'; face it, we all were. That's high school." She looked around at the others, a variety of shocked expressions on their faces. "Remember when he picked football over glee club? Rachel, you chased after Finn because he was popular; Quinn, that's why you dated him in the first place. Puck, you threw kids in dumpsters, and I slept around. Mercedes, you joined the Cheerios and, Mike, you played football when you'd rather have danced." She paused, exhaled, and continued, "In some way, each of us made choices that weren't always the best ones, all for the sake of being popular. And in the 'real world', it doesn't amount to a hill 'a shit…and no matter _how_ popular Finn was," Santana began to cry, "it won't bring him back, and that just fuckin' sucks."

Santana, who seldom cried, finally broke down, sobbing uncontrollably. Mercedes, who was sitting next to Santana, wrapped her arms around her, rocking her gently and rubbing her back, comforting her as one would do with a small child.

Tina, who had been sitting quietly, lost in her thoughts, finally spoke up. "Things like this happen every day, and you feel badly, but when it happens to somebody you care about, it's hard to wrap your head around it." "I know, Tina; I still can't believe that he's gone," Kurt admitted, still choked up. "We weren't brothers by blood, but we became brothers in spirit."

They spent the evening reminiscing about the times they shared with Finn, both recently and long ago. They laughed and cried, bonding over their common experiences. As they talked, the TV had been on, playing softly in the background. Suddenly, there was the cacophony of sound that initiates the New Year, and it was 2013. "Happy New Year, Baby," Noah wished Rachel, and they kissed chastely. At the same time, Sam and Brittany shared a kiss, as did Mike and Tina, Jake and Marley, Kurt and Blaine, and, surprisingly, Quinn and Artie, who were seated next to each other (Artie in his wheelchair and Quinn on an upholstered chair). Santana and Mercedes hugged, then Santana and Brittany; then everybody got up and began hugging and kissing everybody else, wishing each other a "Happy New Year".

"We should sing something in Finn's honor," Tina suggested. "After all, that's what we usually do when we get together…sing." "'Auld Lang Syne' seems old-fashioned," Quinn observed, and Artie, still holding her hand, nodded in agreement, commenting, "Besides, I don't think I know the words." "I know just the one, Santana advised, "'Imagine'." "That's perfect, Santana," Rachel agreed, "Finn would have loved it." Santana began, the rest soon joining in, their voices blending harmoniously even as tears rolled down their faces.

Noah held onto Rachel tightly, her back pressed against him; each had been the other's lifeline during this unfathomable event. Moving to New York and attending NYU had proven to be the right road for them to take, and even after one semester, they had matured as a result of their experiences. They had grown both scholastically and personally, and taken important steps as individuals and as a couple. Noah embraced his academic side, and Rachel relinquished her self-serving diva mindset. She had stood up to Shelby, no longer needing her approval or acceptance, and he had become a mentor and friend to a brother he only recently discovered. They had cared for and supported each other, and had declared their love both publicly and in private. Regardless of what the future held, they would face it together with grace, determination, humor, a little chutzpa, and a lot of love.

* * *

**Author's Notes**: "Imagine" was written (words and music) by John Lennon.

"Chutzpa" (guttural "ch") means nerve, courage, determination, or daring (i.e. "balls").

The title of this story was taken (paraphrased) from a line in a poem, "The Road Not Taken". It was written by Robert Frost in 1920 and is as relevant today as it was almost 100 years ago:

.

TWO roads diverged in a yellow wood,

And sorry I could not travel both

And be one traveler, long I stood

And looked down one as far as I could

To where it bent in the undergrowth;

.

Then took the other, as just as fair,

And having perhaps the better claim,

Because it was grassy and wanted wear;

Though as for that the passing there

Had worn them really about the same,

.

And both that morning equally lay

In leaves no step had trodden black.

Oh, I kept the first for another day!

Yet knowing how way leads on to way,

I doubted if I should ever come back.

.

I shall be telling this with a sigh

Somewhere ages and ages hence:

Two roads diverged in a wood, and I—

I took the one less traveled by,

And that has made all the difference.

.

Thanks to everyone who stayed with me on this journey. Comments are always welcome and appreciated.


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